Falling is a serious concern among seniors. Every year, about 1 in 4 people age 65 or older experience a fall, according to the National Council on Aging.
And worse — once a person falls, the risk of falling again doubles. This can lead to not only physical injuries, but a reduction in confidence, causing many seniors to forgo daily activities in fear of getting hurt.
But it’s not all bad news. Being proactive can go a long way toward preventing health problems, experts say.
William Sternberg, a certified senior fitness trainer, said his biggest focus is motivation.
“Older people have more difficulty getting started and staying started,” he said. “My job is to try and make it light and fun, to vary the exercise so they don’t become boring, and to be tough but also compassionate and understanding.”
Sternberg created No Fall Fitness, a program that offers personalized fitness plans for older adults in Palm Beach County.
He focuses on aerobic exercises, helping clients perform modified squats, step-downs from a raised platform, shoulder pulleys, or any exercise that gets their heart rate up and breaks a sweat. He also works to strengthen leg muscles, specifically the upper leg and quads that help in getting up and down or out of a chair.
“This is just scratching the surface,” he said. “The purpose is to help them stay vertical.”
As people age, they lose muscle mass at a rate of 3% per year, according to Dr. William A. Leone, an orthopedic surgeon who founded The Leone Center for Orthopedic Care at Holy Cross in Fort Lauderdale. Less dense bones can lead to issues such as osteoporosis, he said, and can also leave us more vulnerable to fractures after a fall.
Broken knees and hips are the most common injuries he sees, but shoulders, wrists, and ribs can also be affected.
And Jews may face a higher risk. The Jewish community, specifically Ashkenazi Jews, is more prone to getting psoriatic arthritis, Leone said. Symptoms of psoriatic arthritis include fatigue, joint pain and muscle stiffness — all factors that make people more vulnerable to a fall and injuries.
But this higher risk doesn’t mean that Jewish seniors can’t lead active lives well into their 80s or 90s.
“We all have things, we just have to accommodate them,” Leone said. “Jewish people tend to seek out the best care, do their research and be more informed than many, and they tend to ask good questions.”
To prevent falls, Leone recommends that seniors be aware of their susceptibility to them and think before walking up steps. For example, hold on to a railing, he said.
Also, seniors should look for ways to improve their balance, he said, and suggested performing actions such as standing on one foot while brushing teeth.
He also recommends focus on strengthening the body. “It’s not about big muscles, it’s about tone and condition,” he said. “If you aren’t as tight, you are more flexible and less likely to break after a fall.”
Sternberg agreed, adding that the best way to not break after a fall is to know how to get up.
In addition to his personal training, Sternberg travels to synagogues and venues throughout Palm Beach County to offer his Preventing Falls workshops. A big aspect of his presentation is teaching ways to stand back up after a fall, which is the scariest part for many of his clients.
“When someone falls, they are so afraid to get up because they don’t know how,” he said. “There are a lot of ways to get up. Depending on the individual, and even where they fall, dictates what type of method to use.”
Even with regular exercise and an understanding of these methods, Sternberg says the biggest issue older people face is a loss of self-esteem after that initial fall.
“What I find with clients who have fallen, their major issue is confidence — they have none,” he said.
Having the right attitude is important. Sternberg recalled a client who initially was adamant about using a walker.
“In my initial assessment, I said, ‘I don’t think you need this,’” he said. “I gradually worked her out of the walker, and it was really just a matter of confidence.”
Leone said he now cares for more people who once were considered “too old” for treatment.
“More and more older people are having surgery and getting back to their lives much faster — and so much of it is attitude,” he said. “Before every operation, I say, ‘All I need is your good energy. You have so much to look forward to.’”
Of course, it can also be attributed to advances in the medical profession. In the past, an 80-year-old who needed a hip replacement may have opted to forgo surgery because of issues with anesthesia, pain medications or recovery time. Now, according to Leone, doctors can use regional anesthesia that wears off quickly and use augmented narcotics so patients don’t need a tube down their throat.
“Routinely now, I don’t care if you’re 90 years old, you’re out of bed starting to walk after a hip or knee replacement,” he said. “They are not in the hospital for a week and they are not in rehabs anymore.”
As we age, there are things our bodies will do that we cannot control. Even with regular exercise and activity, a fall can still occur. Leone recommends walking, staying social and being out in the environment. And if you do end up needing the help of a walker, he said, take it in stride.
“If you’re reaching a point where you are using a cane or a walker, these are just tools that allow us to keep being functional,” he said. “We all fight it because we don’t want that image of being old. I encourage it if it keeps you in the game.”
For more information on No Fall Fitness, visit nofallfitness.net. For additional safety tips for seniors, check out the National Institute on Aging’s website at nia.nih.gov/health.