Better Balance for a Better Life

Awareness is the key to maintaining balance

National Falls Prevention Awareness Day is being recognized on Sept. 22, 2013, the first official day of fall.  Its purpose is to “promote and increase public awareness about how to prevent and reduce falls among older adults”.

Falling is not a normal part of aging. Yet, one in three adults, 65 years and older fall each year, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. In 2009 alone over 2.4 million seniors were treated in emergency departments for fall-related injuries. The United States spends over $19 billion annually for the treatment of fall-related injuries.

The good news is falls can be prevented. Simple adjustments to daily activities can greatly reduce the risk of a fall.

What is balance?

Balance is the body’s awareness of where it is in space. We rely on our eye sight, inner ear functions and our joint/muscle awareness to maintain balance. If even one of those systems is slightly impaired, our balance is at risk.

Sometimes, the loss of balance can be a symptom to another issue the body is experiencing. For instance, an individual may trip on a rug while rushing to get to a restroom, fall and twist an ankle. In this case, a doctor or a therapist may be more concerned as to why the person was rushing to the restroom, rather than the fall itself.

Preventing falls

One of the best ways to prevent a fall is to simply be aware. Be aware of what the body is trying to communicate and be aware of what factors may increase the risk of a fall.

The following are four simple techniques to reduce the risk of a fall:

1. Begin an exercise program to improve leg strength and balance.

2. Ask a doctor or pharmacist to review all medications. Learn about the medications you are taking and understand the side effects.

3. Get an annual eye exam and update the prescriptions.

4. Review your home environment regularly to check for clutter and tripping hazards. Consider installing extra railings or grab bars.

Balance education

Fall prevention programming is a growing trend among many health care organizations. Balance programs are available to not only treat the effects of a fall, but also to prevent a fall from occurring. If you have a fear of falling or recognize you may be at risk for a fall, contact your physician and ask for a full balance assessment.

Falls are not a normal part of aging. Don’t let the risk of a fall slow you down. Be aware and be proactive with your health.

Saint Therese Rehab

The Saint Therese Rehab (STR) Balance Program incorporates state-of-the-art balance assessment and training techniques to help each individual live a better life.

STR therapists are specially trained to assess and treat balance disorders in older adults. Each patient builds a relationship with a therapist who observes, listens, develops and executes a plan of action specific to the balance and wellness goals of each individual.

To learn more visit www.sttheresemn.org/saintthereserehab or call 763.531.5435.

Get Out and Exercise, Experience Great Benefits

Fitness tips from Heidi Kimmes, Saint Therese Fitness Specialist

Last month’s blog post, Fitness, talked about developing a fitness plan. This month, Heidi Kimmes, Saint Therese of New Hope fitness specialist, shares about the benefits of exercise, general guidelines and exercise tips.

The benefits of exercise:

• Regular physical activity helps older individuals perform Activities of Daily Life (ADL), such as eating, bathing and dressing, and allows them to maintain independence longer.
  • Decrease in these ADLs is high with advancing age, especially for seniors 85 years and older
• Disease prevention and management of chronic diseases such as high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity and arthritis
• Stress management and psychological well-being
• Weight control
• Increases longevity
• Slows the physiologic changes of aging that impair exercise capacity
• Optimizes age-related changes in body composition

General exercise program guidelines for seniors:

• All seniors should avoid inactivity. Adults who participate in any amount of physical activity gain some health benefits.
• A fitness routine should include both cardiovascular fitness and resistance training.
• If adults are looking for substantial health benefits, they should engage in physical activities for at least 30 minutes, on five or more days of the week.
• For weight loss and more extensive health benefits, adults should engage in 60-90 minutes of exercise on most days of the week.
• When seniors are unable to reach the 30 minutes of exercise a day because of chronic conditions, they should be as physically active as their abilities and conditions allow.
• The American Heart Association recommends taking 10,000 steps per day for health purposes.

Get Fit - Exercises to do on your own to meet the above guidelines:
Cardiovascular Endurance Exercises:

• Engage large muscle groups in continuous, rhythmic activity
  • Ideas include: walking around your retirement home, jogging, cycling, swimming, stair climbing, aerobics and water exercise
  • Cycling is a great non-weight bearing activity for adults and older adults with exercise limitations. Saint Therese Wellness Centers feature the NuStep and Biodex cycling equipment.

Resistance Training Exercises:

• Work a muscle or a group of muscles by overcoming resistance several times consecutively.
  • Should be done two days a week for major muscle groups
  • Ideas include: free weights, machines, theraband/rubber tubing and large therapy balls
    • Free weights require balance and some skill to perform exercises properly and safely. Using free weights may require supervision.
    • Resistance equipment is located in the Saint Therese Fitness Centers. These machines are safer than free weight exercise for the older adults.

Exercise tips for at home.
Looking for a few exercises to do while watching your favorite television program in your senior apartment? Here are a few simple exercises with great benefits:

• Find a wall and place hands at chest level, shoulder width apart, against the wall. Take a large step away from the wall and do some push-ups (1 or 2 sets of 10).
• Work out your hips—holding onto the back of a chair or your kitchen sink, simply keep your right leg straight and kick it forward (15 times), backwards (15 times) and out to the side (15 times). Continue with the left leg.
• While sitting in your favorite recliner, try going from a sitting position to a standing position 10 consecutive times. Easy? Take a break and try 10 more.
• Also from your recliner, you can march your knees up and down from a seated position. Time yourself for 30 seconds. As it gets easier, try increasing your time to a minute.

Heidi Kimmes, Fitness Specialist
Heidi has been an exercise specialist at Saint Therese of New Hope since 2011. Exercise and sports have always been a personal interest. In high school Heidi was a three-sport athlete and enjoyed various other recreational activities and in college she continued to play basketball, her favorite sport. Heidi always knew that she wanted an occupation in health and fitness. She attended Southwest Minnesota State University in Marshall and graduated May 2009 with a degree in Exercise Science. “I could not have asked for a better place to be,” said Heidi. “I enjoy coming to Saint Therese every day and working with individuals to improve their lives!” 

Fitness

Last month’s blog post, “At the Heart of a Senior’s Health is Good Nutrition”, focused on why healthy eating is so important to a senior’s quality of life and how even slight dietary changes can decrease the risk of certain diseases. Well, the same is true for staying active. According to the Weight Control Information Center, regular physical activity may help prevent or delay the onset of chronic diseases like type 2 diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke and colon cancer. It can also increase a senior’s energy and boost their mood. As a person ages, the metabolism naturally slows down making maintaining a healthy weight a challenge. Proper nutrition combined with exercises that increase the metabolism and build muscle mass will help to burn more calories. Perhaps you’ve heard this from your doctor, loved one or from a personal trainer at one of our senior housing campuses, but you don’t know where to begin. You’re not alone. Many seniors feel discouraged by ongoing health problems and pain or concerns about balance or falls. The truth is, no matter your age or physical condition, you can benefit from exercise. The key is to develop a plan that gets your body moving and builds upon the hurdles you overcome and successes you achieve.

Developing a Fitness Plan
Before you make any changes in physical activity, consult a medical professional. They can provide guidance on maximum heart rate, warning signs of distress and even the timing of medications and meals around your exercise schedule. Saint Therese in Minnesota offers fitness services through Wellness Centers in both our New Hope and Oxbow Lake senior care centers. The licensed physical therapists, therapist assistants and exercise physiologists in our long-term care facilities can help you develop and maintain an exercise program for your condition and goals.

Incorporate cardio and strength training exercises to build endurance for everyday activities such as walking, stair climbing and house cleaning. Saint Therese offers state-of-the-art fitness equipment in our Wellness Centers to help build muscle with repetitive motion and external resistance methods which prevents the loss of bone mass. Consider taking a group exercise class. It’s easier to maintain a fitness plan with support.

Falls are the leading cause of death from injury among people 65 and over (according to www.ihlcaregiver.com) and many falls are preventable with balance training. Practices such as yoga and tai chi are posture exercises that increase confidence with balance. For a more “high tech” approach to gaining balance, try the NeuroCom EquiTest assessment and rehabilitation system, available in the Saint Therese Balance Clinic. This system uses the same technology used to measure equilibrium in NASA shuttle crews.

If aching joints or injury is preventing you from starting a fitness routine, consider water therapy. Water aerobics or even slow, repetitive movements in water builds muscle without breaking down joints and tissue. Opening soon, a warm water pool at Saint Therese at Oxbow Lake in Brooklyn Park, MN.

Many seniors turn to massage to relieve aches and pains but passage can actually be part of your workout. Massage therapy can reduce pain around joints and muscles, making it easier to use full range of motion during exercises. The Mayo Clinic reports that massage therapy can actually improve circulation which is especially important if you have diabetes which reduces blood flow to the tissues of your lower legs and feet. The personal trainers at our Saint Therese of New Hope senior apartments, assisted living and nursing care campus offer pain relief solutions such as moist heat and relaxation therapy.

If the thought of “working out” takes you back to the days of tight spandex and body crunching exercises of the 1980s, think again. Think about activities that you enjoy and incorporate them into your day. Some examples are:

• Take pictures of nature while on one of the community's many walking paths.
• Walk around the mall and window shop.
• If you used to love tennis but now find it too intense, try pickleball or badmitten.
• Watch a favorite television show or read a book while walking on the treadmill or riding a stationary bicycle.

At Saint Therese, our seniors enjoy life because of inspirational services we offer such as unique exercise programs which help them achieve their optimal health and well-being and to live life to the fullest at any age.