171 - Fall Prevention with Dr. Elena

Falls can be deadly for older adults.

Fall prevention is an important part of caregiving.  Most of us have probably heard a story about someone who is healthy, vibrant, active even, falling, breaking a hip, and dying within a few weeks. If you haven't tuned in to the episode on Frailty, that explains a lot of the “why” this happens. This week, Dr. Elena is back talking about how we can prevent falls from happening in the first place.

 There are many good reasons to do what we can to prevent falls, but some of the less obvious ones might interest you. Did you know that when an older adult falls, their hospital stays can be twice as long? If you're a Dr. Elena fan then you know hospitals can be the worst place for older adults.

 The risk for falling increases with age and the risk is greater for women. Insert eye roll emoji here. One-fourth of seniors who fracture a hip from a fall will die within six months of the injury. Approximately 9,500 deaths in older Americans are associated with falls each year. Obviously. fall prevention is necessary for all of us to understand.

The statistics also prove how important it is to maintain our balance as we age too. I was blessed to have a personal trainer who was 14 years older than me (and female). If you think that meant she was easier on me you're wrong, but she did have a unique focus on how to use exercise to age well. Balance moves were an important part of what she taught me.
Balance & Fall Prevention
I've been working on a new program and one of the moves is 100% balance. There are four options to increase the challenge. I'm working on the hardest variation, standing on one foot, knee at a 45-degree angle to the floor, eyes closed. I make sure there is something to grab for stability so I don't fall over and land on a dog but I'm getting better!

One day I'll post an Instagram story video with the 4 different moves. As soon as I can do all of them without falling over!

Transcript
Dr. Elena on Instagram

Be Your Own Doctor YouTube Channel

Frailty Is A Thing?  Episode

NeuroReserve – Helping Our Brainspan Match our Lifespan

NeuroReserve Website
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