Encore careers and injuries among older workers

• Balance programs help prevent falls, including basic muscle strengthening and practicing standing on one leg, according to a recent article in the Baltimore Sun.

Balance training starts with strengthening all the muscles in the body: "To
do the activities of daily living as they relate to balance — walking down
the stairs, getting in and out of the bathtub — is really about maintaining
muscle strength," Bracko says. This can be done with an overall weight
training program. For those who haven't been to the gym in a while — or ever
— that training should start with the basics and get progressively more
difficult so that the muscles are always challenged."

• 
  

  USA today article regarding a report by CDC; CDC: Injuries among older workers on the rise.

  
  

  More and more Americans over age 55 are working later in life, and this means
  work-related injuries in this group continue to climb, up from 12% in 2003 to
  17% in the latest tally, federal health officials report."

• Due to limited savings and funds available from pensions, more people are working in their 60's instead of retiring. However, many are changing focus from their earlier careers to more meaningful work. Marc Freedman has written an exciting new book, The Big Shift: Navigating the New Stage Beyond Mid-Life.

A recent book review noted: "With a 14-city book tour
underway, Marc Freedman is spreading the word about a new stage of life between midlife and old age. And while he’s attracting attention from boomers searching for meaning during that stage, he’s also gaining interest from national media outlets looking to explore what Freedman calls the “encore years.”

Short Video from Graceful Aging about Preventing Falls

From GracefulAging.Com: http://www.gracefulaging.com/safety/home-safety/why-do-seniors-fall.

Falls occur from environmental factors-physical things in your home. Falls also occur from your physical condition. Understanding where you may be increasing your chances for a destabilizing and harmful fall is the first safety step you need to take. Physical Therapist Zanobia Rabebeh helps us see ourselves and our home differently. The differences she highlights could mean all the world to your personal safety and good living. Short video: http://vimeo.com/20409074

Thanks to http://changingaging.org/ ChangingAging.org for this link.

Falls Prevention Fair Today at Stadium Place

Today is National Fall Prevention Awareness Day!

Come celebrate at the Safe Steps to Fall Prevention - A Resource Fair for Seniors and Caregivers at the Stadium Place Y today from 11am - 3pm.

We invite you to join us at an informational fair about fall prevention, home safety, and other important resources for seniors and caregivers.


Falls are the leading cause of nursing home admissions in the U.S. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that more than $19.2 billion is spent treating the adverse effects of falls among the elderly.


Safe Steps to Fall Prevention - A Resource Fair for Seniors and Caregivers

We Can Prevent Falls by Older Adults

You might be surprised to learn that falls are THE leading cause of death among older adults. They also lead to long-term hospitalizations and placement in nursing homes. However, there are a number of steps that elders can take to reduce their risks of falls.

The statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are breath-taking:

"Unintentional falls are a threat to the lives, independence and health of adults ages 65 and older. Every 18 seconds, an older adult is treated in an emergency department for a fall, and every 35 minutes someone in this population dies as a result of their injuries. Although one in three older adults falls each year in the United States, falls are not an inevitable part of aging. There are proven strategies that can reduce falls and help older adults live better and longer."

Families and elders can take a variety of steps to prevent falls and injuries, including:

• Performing a home safety inspection


• Reviewing the mix of various medications


• Exercising and participating in balance training


• Checking vision and footwear

The CDC publishes a checklist of how to perform a home safety inspection. Many families are installing grab bars in bathrooms and showers, as well as discarding area rugs.

Even walking with a cane or walker can be dangerous. Elders and their families should review the equipment they are using with their doctor or an occupational therapist. Other families are helping their parents to review the shoes they are wearing. According to a recent Center for Disease Control study, more than 47,000 elderly Americans experience a walker- or cane-related fall each year. That is an average of 129 falls per day, according to a recent release from the CDC.

According to a recent post at Caring.com, an important step is to Improve Strength and Balance with Exercise.

“Exercise classes designed with the safety, confidence, and special needs of older adults are springing up at community centers, gyms, senior centers, and elsewhere across the country. No matter where you live, it shouldn't be hard to find a gentle movement, dance, or yoga class designed with older bodies in mind. For example, the Arthritis Foundation offers a variety of classes through local chapters. Another option becoming more and more popular is Tai Chi, an ancient Chinese martial art, that's now offered through many health centers such as Kaiser Permanente facilities. Several studies have shown that Tai Chi improves balance and reduces the risk and the fear of falling among older adults. In one study, people between the ages of 70 and 92 who took Tai Chi three times a week for six months had a 55 percent lower risk of falling than a comparable group who didn't take classes.”

Rebuilding Together and other organizations that provide home modifications are supporting national efforts to fund the Safety of Seniors Act and educational programs related to falls prevention for older adults.

Please post what you are doing to prevent falls and improve safety for yourself and your family members.