We’ve heard of an emergency evacuation plan: every public agency is supposed to have one or is it every agency with more than five employees is required to post the nearest plan of evacuation in case of an emergency?  In any case, as individuals, we must take responsibility for our personal safety and be aware of how to get out if the need arises.  Always be aware.  As aging adults, it is important that you take the same responsibility and follow a fall prevention plan to reduce the risk of falling.

Engaging in consistent exercise routine, done either seated and/or standing, is the best thing you can do to minimize the risk of falling.  However, preventing a  fall involves more than balance training, it requires awareness of environmental, pharmaceutical, and dietary risk factors.  In other words, there is not a one-size fits all approach to staying upright.  In addition to being aware of and respecting physical limitations associated with aging,  an individual must be aware of his surroundings, his medications and what he eats.  An effective fall prevention plan would increase awareness of factors contributing to a greater risk of a fall then empower a person to make reasonable modifications that reduce the risk of fall.  Remember, falls are accidents!  No one plans on falling but with some education, you can reduce the risk of a tragic event happening to you or a loved one.

The first thing to do is to get started on an exercise routine. It doesn’t matter what level you start, just get going!  Your body will adapt and improve with consistent practice.  Don’t try to do it all at once, afterall, Rome wasn’t built in a day! Take 5 to Exercise each day and you will notice improvements during your activities of daily living. The four components of a thorough fall risk reduction exercise plan are:

1.  Flexibility

2.  Balance

3.  Strength

4.  Endurance

Make sure to address each of these components in your exercise routine.  This can be a lot to remember so follow along with a senior exercise video as you reduce the risk of a fall.

Secondly, check your environment! Believe it or not, 2 out of 3 falls occur in the home and 70% of falls at home occur in the bathroom.  A simple home checklist will provide a guide to go through your home (or apartment) and look for specific risk factors.  Look for local, non-profit agencies that serve older adults at a discounted rate:  affordable, quality service, like Rebuilding Together. Installing grab bars in the shower, removing throw rugs, or using night lights should not be taken as an ageist insult but rather an opportunity to demonstrate your wisdom for remaining safe within your environment.

Learn, Learn, Learn…what your medications are doing to your body.  Find out what organ is primarily affected by each medication you are currently taking.  I can tell you already that medications take a toll on your liver which is why it’s important to drink plenty of water and try to eat a healthy diet.   Some people are surprised when I discuss diet as a fall risk factor but not eating a healthy, fruit and vegetable-based diet will affect your physical strength and mental clarity.  Lean proteins, calcium supplements, plenty of fruits and vegetables and half your body weight in fluid ounces is a good nutritional guideline to try to follow.

Here’s a good start to your own Fall Prevention Plan:

1.  Get started in a consistent exercise program, either with friends or at home.

2.  Check your environment for fall risk factors

3.  Learn about your medications

4.  Eat a healthy diet

5.  Get plenty of sleep

6.  Drink at least 5 bottles of water daily.

The Fall Prevention Lady
All Content Copyright © 2007-2010, Take 5 to Exercise.

I teach a workshop that is worth 3-CEUs (continuing education units) for healthcare workers.  My class is approved by the Department of Social Services (DSS), Board of Registered Nurses (BRN) and RCFE (Residential Care Facilities for Elderly) workers.  There are millions of healthcare workers who deal with older adults.  Many of these workers are not trained in fall prevention exercises not to mention aware of the intrinisic or extrinsic fall risk factors.

My 3-hour workshop is designed to educate workers about factors that increase the risk of falls and to demonstrate effective seated exercise routines that will help older adults remain strong, flexible and independent.  However the exercises I demonstrate are not just for older adults; everyone benefits from consistent activity.  The senior exercise videos that are included in the workshop price provide instructional cues to remember when flexing and stretching your body while seated.

Because I am a certified FallProof balance and mobility instructor, I am able to provide cutting edge, research-based techniques that  challenge the body systems involved in balance, thereby promoting confidence and esteem of those who participate.  I am available to hold this CEU-training workshop in your facility so contact me today so we can arrange a date and location.

And remember, Take 5 to Exercise each day!

All Content Copyright © 2007-2010, Take 5 to Exercise.

The holidays are over.  You survived the stress of gift-giving, travel arrangements, and family disputes. Now that we are well into January,  you are either on the right track to making a lasting lifestyle change or not.  Resolutions are out, commitments are in.  People are quitting bad habits and making healthy lifestyle changes.  As Americans, we are finally getting the importance of prevention-based approach to wellness.  Keeping politics out of this blog, all I want to say is that it is crucial that each person does what he/she can to remain healthy, to prevent chronic disease and lifelong disability.

The choice to take responsibility for your well being is a personal decision.  Sometimes, a person has to “hit bottom” before making a lifestyle change.  Often times, it’s too late when that realization hits home but regardless of when, the intention is good and a person must be commended for initiating change.  Mistakenly, a lot of seniors think “it’s too late for me” or “this won’t work for me, I’ve never worked out a day in my life”.  This negativity keeps a person stuck in the same rut and the result is inevitable; a compromised quality of life. For years, a person doesn’t reach his/her potential because he/she doesn’t believe in the power of change.

For some, 2009 was a nightmare.  Some feel lucky to have survived with a roof over their head or a job to go to each day. For some, the fear of falling may have severely affected their independence or quality of life.  The message here is simple:  start today and your body will respond, no matter where you are in your journey on the wellness continuum.

You’ve got to see it to believe it.  I think you have to believe it to see it. Everything may have been fine in ‘09 but it’s time to win in ‘10.   Realize that you are responsible for your action, or inaction, and it all starts with your attitude.  Believe you can do it and you will remain independent.  Realize that you are strong and capable and you will remain so.  Take 5 to Exercise each day.  Consistent movement will keep you strong.  Set goals and chart your progress because you are going to win in 2010.

Here’s to setting goals and reaching them.  Here’s to getting out of your comfort zone and watching your body improve.  I am looking forward to working with you this year.  Educating you.  Inspiring you.  It’s time to win in 2010.

The Fall Prevention Lady
All Content Copyright © 2007-2010, Take 5 to Exercise.