Seventy percent of falls occur in or around the home.  The bathroom is the room where the most of the falls happen and surprisingly, falls getting into and out of bed are also common.  The environment which you spend most of your time is loaded with potential fall risk hazards.  As a fall prevention exercise instructor who has been studying the multiple causes of falls, participating in an exercise program designed for older adults that include strengthening, stretching, balance and endurance training is the number one way to minimize fall risks.  For the most part, a person has control over how much movement he/she participates in on a daily basis.

A person can also minimize unnecessary exposure to fall risks in his/her home environment.  A lot of people are unaware of potential fall hazards in and around the home so similar to teaching proper exercise routines, increasing awareness of increased fall risks will help keep adults safe in their homes.  A home safety checklist provides a thorough way to check the safety of each room.  Simply print out the safety checklist and check off the boxes as you “fall proof” each room.

If you or your parents are anything like me and my family, there is stuff everywhere; piles of stuff also known as clutter.  It is everywhere and it can be dangerous, even if stacked neatly.  Electric cords are potential tripping hazards.  Throw rugs that are not taped down can cause a person to trip.  Heck, even the family pet can be a fall risk.  Wet floors in the bathroom, cramped dark spaces and hallways, toilet seats that are too low, no grab bars or poles to get up from the seated position; all of these are examples of situations that increase the risk of an accidental fall.

The good news is that there are simple, inexpensive ways to modify these risk factors.  Purchasing night lights for dark hallways and bathrooms plus switching to brighter light bulbs will help older adults who have difficulty seeing at night or who are developing visual impairments.  Taping down throw rugs will eliminate the chance of tripping; a common problem as one gets older and experiences gait disturbances, begins to shuffle, and doesn’t achieve the necessary toe clearance with each step.  Good shoes with lightweight, rubber soles are ideal for walking around the house.

It is important that older adults get their eyes and feet checked regularly since vision and somatosensory systems are crucial to balance and mobility.  Regular hearing checkups will also help identify vestibular disorders.  The vestibular system contributes to balance and any disorder will contribute to dizziness which increases the risk of a fall.

If grab bars, polecat assistive transfer poles or wheelchair ramps are needed, check your local directory for Rebuilding Together or other non-profit agencies that assist in home modification for seniors.  This type of dependable installation is free to minimal in cost and make a world of difference.  Contact them, they are there to help!

Keep your environment safe and choose to live an active lifestyle by making the time to Take 5 to Exercise each day.

Making the time each day to do some type of physical movement will not only improve the quality of your life but also reduce your risk of an accidental fall.  No one plans a fall but you can plan a risk reduction process that includes exercises that can be done while seated in order to keep you on your feet!   However, following a fall prevention exercise routine is only one component to minimizing the risk of a life altering episode.  I would like to increase the awareness of fall risk factors in everyone’s environment so that you can make the changes that will allow you to remain independent and fall-proof!

Exercise, diet, medications, environment.  I placed them in this order because a person must first take care of him/herself.   Take 5 to Exercise each day of the week as you follow along with my 5-day seated exercise video series.  Get into a routine and stick with it.  A balanced fall prevention exercise program has four components: Flexibility, Strength, Balance and Endurance.   This holistic approach toward physical movement will keep your body balanced and functioning at it’s optimal level.  

Diet.  Always try to eat a variety of foods, mostly fruits and vegetables.   Eat lean protein each day to help build and repair the muscles you will be building as you Take 5 to Exercise each day and drink lots and lots of water.  It is recommended to drink half your body weight in fluid ounces.  IF you weigh 150 pounds, drink 75 ounces of water.  The more the better as the temperature goes up this summer.

Medications.  Respect your body and learn about the medications (chemicals) you are ingesting.  If you are taking 4 or more medications, you are at increased risk of a fall.  If you are taking an anti-depressant, you have an increased risk of a fall.  If you are taking sedatives, same increased risk.  Certain blood pressure and heart medications also increase risk.  And obviously, alcohol and narcotics increase the chance of falling.  Be cautious and ask your doctor about medication interactions.  Be informed, it’s your body.

Environment.  A good way to get some activity is to clean your house.  Clear pathways, get rid of step stools, get electric cords out of the way (or tape them down), remove throw rugs (or at least tape them down), and install nightlights and brighter bulbs.  Use a toilet riser if getting up and down from the toilet is difficult or scary. These are simple hazards that you can eliminate without extraneous amounts of money or effort.  However, if you or a loved one are extremely frail, consider contacting Rebuilding Together or other local non-profit community agencies for more difficult modifications such as installation of grab bars, poles, and ramps.

Stay active, eat a healthy diet, educate yourself about your medications and look around you.  There are fall risk factors that you can control.  Stay tuned for more in depth blogs about each risk factor and don’t forget to Take 5 to Exercise each day!  It will improve the way you feel, increase your reaction time and reduce the risk of an accidental fall.

Change is constant. It’s the one thing we can count on.  Everything changes.  Sometimes change is good, sometimes it’s uncomfortable but either way, it’s up to the individual to adapt and survive.  It’s called survival of the fittest.

Well, one of the stars in my senior exercise videos fell and her life has been turned upside with change.  Too much change, I think.  My friend tripped over the cord to her electric blanket on New Years eve and broke her hip.  She is 92 years old and has provided full time care to her husband of 70 years for the past 6 years.  After the fall, she went to rehab hospital and he went to 24-hour board and care.  Once she recovered from her injuries, which was extraordinarily fast due to her physical fitness level, she moved into her own studio apartment in an independent living facility, 5 miles from the home and friends she has known for the past 6 years. 

The result?  My friend desperately misses her husband/life partner of 70 years, she feels less confident in her physical abilities and has since become increasingly afraid of falling again, and she no longer has her support network of friends closeby.  My friends, too much is too much!

This weekend, I took my friend to visit her old “neighborhood” where she was welcomed with open arms, smiles, and familiarity.  She was beaming.  Nothing beats good friendship, laughter, and love, especially the older we get.  My friend is established in that community and true, the food isn’t as good but friendship is what matters the most. 

I hope she will move back to her old neighborhood but it’s not up to me.  It’s up to her family.  After a fall, everyone’s world is turned upside down.  There is so much to deal with that changes are made in the path of least resistance.  Well, I have good news!  Changes that were made can be un-made.  My friend clearly wants to move back to her prior living community but she is concerned about her kids, “they won’t allow it”. Let me tell you what I told her:  ”It’s just paper”.  And that’s all it is.  

As easy as it was to move her out, she can be moved back in.  It’s transferring paperwork is all.  In the end, it is what makes my friend the most happy that matters.  The most happy on a daily basis.  She is 92 years old, away from her life partner and now, it’s the day to day routine that is the most lonely.  She needs good friends around her and familiarity to keep her going.  Too much is too much.  

My Take 5 to Exercise fall risk reduction series gently introduces you to movement that will ultimately improve all aspects of your life.  The trickle effect, the bottom line, the inescapable truth:  a body in motion stays in motion.  Use it or lose it.  Take 5 to Exercise everyday.

Ok, I have some great news:  I have been approved by the Department of Social Services to provide CEUs (continuing education units) to those who attend my Take 5 to Exercise train-the-trainer workshop!   Falls are quickly becoming a public health concern as people live longer but exercise less.  The weaker a person becomes, the greater the risk of an accidental fall.

Jan and her husband Cam have been married 70 years.  She’s 91 and he’s 94 years old.  Cam uses a wheelchair for mobility and requires 24 hour care.  Jan has been his caregiver while caring for herself for the past six years.  Jan is outgoing, regularly participates in senior exercise classes, and loves to play cards.   She likes to stay active while Cam enjoys quiet moments.  The couple lived in an independent senior community until December 31, 2008 when Jan tripped over the heating blanket cord and broke her hip.

Two lives were instantly changed.  Jan went to a rehabilitation hospital and Cam went to a board and care facility.  Their adult children were faced with a difficult decision.  Mom can no longer provide care for Dad because now she needs care.  He requires 24 hour assistance and would expect Jan to do everything since that’s the way it’s been for the past 70 years.  The result?  Jan moved into a studio apartment at another independent community and Cam is living at the board and care. 

70 years together and now they are living away from each other.  They see each other on Wednesdays and Sunday at church.  Jan is heartbroken because Cam, who has the early signs of dementia, is beginning to get used to his new caregiver.  Jan doesn’t feel needed.  She is living in a new place with new faces and is still recovering from her broken hip.  Although she is healing well, she is 91 years old and has decided to stop doing some of the activities she did before the break because the walker is “such a pain to use”. 

While I am all for change, I am worried about Jan.  Too much change can be too much.  She is no longer living with her life partner which alters her sense of purpose (his caregiver).  Even though they talk on the telephone, her heart is breaking.  He is losing contact with the real world and Jan is horrified he will forget her.  Her physical strength is improving but Jan is losing confidence in her abilities.  Now removed from her friends, she is more isolated.    

Jan is a fighter.  She is resilient.  She doesn’t want to burden anyone.  But if her health, mental, physical, or emotional starts to deteriorate, I think this is too much change at once.  While falls are accidents, the consequences can change a life, or two, instantly and permanently.  Stay active, Take 5 to Exercise each day, and prepare an advanced directive today.