Decreased balance and falls are a dangerous part of getting older, but there are things you can do now in order to set yourself up for a better chance of avoiding costly, or even deadly, falls later on. The numbers are startling and frightening: the National Council on Aging (NCOA), citing information from the Centers… Continue reading 4 Exercises to Reduce Your Risk of Falls
Tag: balance
Steering Clear of Falls
Each year millions of Americans, especially older adults, go to the emergency department after an injury from a fall. “These falls can cause serious injuries—back fractures, hip fractures, as well as head trauma,” says Dr. David B. Reuben, a healthy aging expert at the University of California, Los Angeles, who co-leads one of the largest… Continue reading Steering Clear of Falls
How to Make a Good Exercise Plan
If you’ve been wanting to exercise, but somehow never finding the time, maybe you should make an exercise plan to keep yourself on track. Having specific goals can help you adhere to the program. Drawing up a plan is also helpful if you’re very busy; it will compel you to carve out your time, however… Continue reading How to Make a Good Exercise Plan
How Health-Care Practitioners Can Help Patients Avoid Falls
Editor’s note: According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2.8 million elderly people are treated annually in emergency rooms for falls, while more than 800,000 patients are hospitalized every year. And the incidence is likely to rise as 10,000 people in the U.S. turn 65 every day. Additionally, the National Council on Aging… Continue reading How Health-Care Practitioners Can Help Patients Avoid Falls
5 Science-Backed Ways Yoga Can Help You
Editor’s note: Before starting yoga or any new exercise activity, be sure to check with your doctor. You can practice yoga at any age, in a group or on your own. And if you think you have to get all new-agey to benefit from this ancient activity, reconsider. Hard and fast science is finding real… Continue reading 5 Science-Backed Ways Yoga Can Help You
Measuring Your Fitness Progress
Editor’s note: We all know the importance of fitness, but it can sometimes be discouraging to think we’re not making any progress. Still, that’s probably not the case. Experts from the National Institute on Aging, offer some easy ways to measure your improvement. As always, check with your doctor before beginning or changing any exercise… Continue reading Measuring Your Fitness Progress
Work-Life Balance: What It Really Means
Everybody talks about work-life balance, but what does it really involve? Glad you asked! Here are the six components of work-life balance. Master these, and you’ve got it made in the shade: Self-management Sufficiently managing one’s self can be challenging, particularly in getting proper sleep, exercise and nutrition. Self-management is the recognition that effectively using… Continue reading Work-Life Balance: What It Really Means
Are Your Senior Loved Ones Safe to Live Alone?
This week, millions of adult children will head “home” to spend time with their parents and grandparents over the holidays. It’s a time for family celebrations and bonding. And for adult offspring with elder loved ones, it’s also a rare time – with potentially five or more days spent together – to evaluate whether their… Continue reading Are Your Senior Loved Ones Safe to Live Alone?
Virtual Reality Tests Balance in Glaucoma Patients
Falls are the leading cause of injury-related death and morbidity in older adults, especially those with a chronic eye disease such as glaucoma. To investigate this problem, a multidisciplinary group of researchers has become the first to use virtual reality technology to develop a new method for measuring balance control in those with glaucoma. The… Continue reading Virtual Reality Tests Balance in Glaucoma Patients
The “Mini-Brain” That Helps Us Function
Researchers from the Salk Institute have discovered that we unconsciously maintain our balance via a cluster of neurons that acts as a “mini-brain.” In their study, published in the journal Cell, the scientists “map the neural circuitry of the spinal cord,” according to a news release from the institute. The investigators said that the “circuitry”… Continue reading The “Mini-Brain” That Helps Us Function
Playing Catch Can Prevent Falls in Older Adults
If you enjoy playing catch with your partner or the grandkids, you’re doing yourself a favor. It turns out that the simple training exercise of catching a weighted medicine ball can improve balance and may help prevent falls in the elderly, according to research done at the University of Illinois at Chicago and published in January… Continue reading Playing Catch Can Prevent Falls in Older Adults
Better Balance Means a Better Life
Editor’s note: Falling is an especially serious problem for older people; it can lead not only to injury but also to a loss of mobility and the ability to live independently. Here, the experts from the National Institute on Aging share ways to improve balance and less the likelihood of falls. As always, talk with… Continue reading Better Balance Means a Better Life
The Best Ways to Avoid Falls
Many things can cause a fall. Your eyesight, hearing, and reflexes might not be as sharp as they were when you were younger. Diabetes, heart disease, or problems with your thyroid, nerves, feet, or blood vessels can affect your balance. Some medicines can cause you to feel dizzy or sleepy, making you more likely to… Continue reading The Best Ways to Avoid Falls