Page 16 - Mid Valley Times 5-6-21 E-edition
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Thursday, May 6, 2021 | A16 | Mid Valley TiMes
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Balance, the Key to Mobility and a Happier Life
By Ro Linscheid
Have you ever lost your balance? I know I have. It is an awful feel- ing to know you are out of balance and prob- ably going to fall. If you cannot regain your balance, you will most likely fall. Having bad balance is something you should not ig- nore. One bad fall can change your life adding struggles and frustra- tion to what once was easy.
I have a great nephew who is just learning to walk. He worked hard to balance as he stood up and then moved for-
ward. Most of the time he had good success but there were quite a few times when he would plop down on his behind. I watched him gain confidence, his balance became steadier and he could walk greater distances without incident. It was wonderful to see his sense of confidence rise higher and higher. Los- ing one’s balance when you are so young is not much trouble. The fall to the floor is short and surprising but soon you are up on your feet and trying again.
Unfortunately, for those of us who are old- er, the loss of balance can cause huge issues that could change the course of our lives for- ever. Gait and balance disorders are common in older adults and un- fortunately are a major cause of falls. Chang- es in muscle strength
can really affect how you walk and how you balance. As early as our 30s, the muscles that help us stand tall weaken, the length of our stride shortens, and vision changes affect coordination.
Balance problems can be the result of an ill- ness or a chronic dis- ease or lack of activity. Everyone needs to work on balance with age. When people workout, the focus is on strength and flexibility but you must also focus on bal- ance. I found a few ideas on how to work on balance as I did some research for this article. With a chair or some- thing sturdy close by, stand on one leg and do not hold onto anything. See how long you can do this before you have to grasp the chair. Make sure you work on each leg. You could take a tai chi class.
They used to be offered at the Senior Center. Tai chi uses slow move- ments to enhance your sense of centeredness, balance and wellbeing. Walking heel to toe is a good challenge. The police do this test when they are testing to see if a person is drunk. Can you walk in a straight line placing your foot right in front of the other? Doing squats helps to build strength in your legs slowly lower yourself onto a chair preferably not an easy chair. Then stand up with your arms stretched out in front of you, abs tight, back straight, and knees above your shoelaces. As we age, we tend to lose the force in our legs. Practice getting out of a chair so force- fully that you need to take a few steps after you are up. It is also very important to get a good night’s rest since
sleep deprivation slows down reaction time. Lastly, you can talk to you doctor if you are concerned about bal- ance. You doctor may prescribe physical ther- apy. Trained physical therapists teach you good balance training habits.
At Sierra View Homes Retirement Community, some apartment residents are given the opportu- nity to stay active and maintain balance and mobility. Recently, the Sierra Kings Health Care District awarded Sierra View Homes a $1900 grant to provide seed money for a “Get Moving“ program. A physical therapist is working with inde- pendent living resi- dents teaching ways to stay strong, balanced and able to move. A registered dietician is teaching about nutri-
tion trying to give the class easy ways to eat healthy. The goal is to age in place as long as possible and stay inde- pendent with success- ful healthy living.
It is important to stay active to keep the keen sense of balance in great condition. Work- ing on your balance does not just keep you from falling. You have a better sense of whole- ness because you have better mobility, fewer injuries and feel more comfortable being ac- tive. My great nephew is gaining confidence everyday as he practic- es balancing on his two feet.
We, too, need to con- tinue to practice bal- ance and remain active and happy, free from falls.
Simple ways to maintain memory as you age
Adults confront vari- from middle age to their may turn gray, but those additional effects are un- fect on adults’ quality of ous age-related side ef- golden years. Skin may are just the visible side seen, but those changes life.
Clinic, various parts of the body are affected by aging. For example, the cardiovascular system changes as people grow older. Blood vessels and arteries stiffen as adults age, forcing the heart to work harder to pump blood through them.
Though many changes are linked to aging, other changes commonly as- sociated with aging, such as a decline in memory, reasoning and other thinking skills, are not natural. The Alzheimer’s Association® notes that dementia is not a nor- mal part of aging. There are many different types of dementia, includ- ing Alzheimer’s disease, and these are the result of damage to brain cells that affect a person’s abil- ity to communicate. That damage is not inevitable, even if it’s commonly as- sociated with aging.
The Harvard Medical School notes that fleeting memory problems expe- rienced with aging often reflect normal changes in the structure and func- tion of the brain. But it’s important that those changes not be mistak- en for dementia, and it’s equally important that
MEMORY... Continued on Next H&F Page
fects as they transition begin to wrinkle and hair effects of aging. Many can have a profound ef-
According to the Mayo
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