Got Balance?

June 6, 2012 by

Do you know how to test yourself to see if you have good balance? A lot of seniors believe they have good balance because they’re still getting around. But if you would like to know if your balance is as good as you believe, here is a simple test you can do.

First, stand with both hands on top of a table or counter, and place both feet firmly on the floor. Now, with both hands still on the counter for safety, gradually lift one foot. So far, so good? Okay, now lift both hands. You should be standing on only one foot without assistance. Could you stay that way for 10 seconds? If yes, your balance is rather good. However if you are like a lot of seniors, you felt unsteady and unsure. Perhaps you wouldn’t even take your hands off of the counter. You’re in good company. Most seniors feel that way. So, what if you do need to improve your balance - is there anything that can help?

Yes! If you are a senior living in the Tri-City area of Fremont, Newark and Union City, call Sandy at LIFE ElderCare 574-2087 to enroll in the free Fall Prevention program. The program provides trained nursing students who will come to your home and instruct you on personalized exercises that will be approved by your doctor which will put the balance back in your life. Improving your balance reduces your risk of falling. A lot of seniors have improved their balance by joining the program and you can too. Call today!

P.S. LIFE ElderCare’s 12-week, in-home exercise program is offered at no cost to home-bound seniors age 60 and older. In addition, you’ll receive a free home safety assessment, minor home modifications and a comprehensive medication review. These combined measures may help decrease your possibility of a bad fall. If you are concerned about falling, doing fall prevention exercises can make all the difference!

-Sandy Hallgren

This article originally appeared in the March 9, 2012 edition of the Tri-City Voice.

Filed Under: Fall Prevention, Senior Health Concerns Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Elderly participants and registered nursing students benefit from the Sustainability Module in LIFE ElderCare’s Fall Prevention program.

April 26, 2012 by

Sustainability is a critical component of LIFE ElderCare’s Fall Prevention program. Anyone who has begun an exercise program or health improvement regime understands the challenges of maintaining their commitment to it. Now, imagine doing this in your late 80’s while also struggling with multiple chronic and debilitating health problems. The most effective fall prevention program would incorporate ways to maintain contact with their clients, and continue to review their fall risk, years after the initial training. LIFE ElderCare is able to offer this through a partnership with Unitek College’s LVN to RN program.

From the perspective of the registered nursing student, helping seniors maintain their strength and mobility is a challenge that calls upon their experience as a Licensed Vocational Nurse and the new skills and knowledge gained during their RN education. After completing a thorough assessment of the senior’s physical, environmental and psychosocial needs, the RN student gets valuable hands-on training in geriatric home care by helping the senior maintain their initial success.

After the students finish their training, LIFE ElderCare conducts a post-program interview. Here is what one student had to say about his experience.
[Read more...]

Filed Under: Fall Prevention, Senior Health Concerns Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

More physicians need to ask their patients about falls.

April 25, 2012 by

A recent survey by the Hartford Foundation has revealed that only 19% of older adult patients have had their MD talk with them about fall prevention. This is alarming given the fact that falling is the cause of 90% of all hip fractures and is the leading cause of injury and injury-related deaths in older adults.

We recently interviewed Dr. Dianne Martin, a Fremont, CA-based physician, about what she looks for in assessing whether or not someone is a fall risk. “The patients most likely to take a fall are ones that have balance and mobility problems, decreased muscle strength and are taking medications that affect balance.” She has found that patients who have even minor falls become less confident and lose their feeling of security when walking.

When a patient tells her about having a fall she recommends the Fall Prevention program at LIFE ElderCare. “Having someone who comes to their home really motivates them and gets them excited to participate,” she says.

Dr. Martin would like to see more physicians ask their patients whether or not they have had a recent fall because if the fall is minor, many patients forget to bring it up. If the patients says yes, it gives the physician a great opening to talk about the importance of fall prevention programs. “More and more older adults want to age independently in their own homes,” says Martin. “Whatever we can do to make this a reality is certainly a plus.”

Learn more about LIFE ElderCare’s Fall Prevention program.

View our Fall Prevention Coordinator’s presentation at the 2012 California Wellness Foundation’s Conference on Healthy Aging.

Filed Under: Fall Prevention, Senior Health Concerns Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

Elderly falls are not inevitable.

April 19, 2012 by

Falls are the leading cause of death from injury in older adults, and most falls occur in the senior’s home. But falling is not inevitable. Fall prevention programs that include balance training, physical activity, medication management and home modifications do make a difference. LIFE ElderCare’s Fall Prevention Coordinator, Maureen Parent, talked about our holistic approach to integrating all of these these elements, along with the importance of community partnerships, at the recent California Wellness Foundation Conference on Healthy Aging on April 18, 2012 in Glendale, CA. The session, “Promising and Proven Solutions for Promoting Healthy Aging,” introduced the audience to several innovative programs to empower older adults to take responsibility for their health and promote healthy aging.

LIFE ElderCare’s Fall Prevention program is unique in that it addresses all dimensions of a senior’s well-being - physical, mental and social - by pairing seniors with trained nursing students for weekly one-on-one coaching, education and support. The successful implementation of this program over the past seven years is a testament to the power of partnerships. By utilizing nursing students from Unitek College and student pharmacists at Touro University, frail, older seniors get a customized, supervised exercise program, a medication review and minor home health modifications, at no charge.

During the past year 367 seniors were enrolled in the program and 318 student nurses received hands-on training in geriatric home care. In addition, the success of the program has encouraged Contra Costa County and other communities to start their own Fall Prevention programs.

Click here to view Maureen’s presentation on SlideShare.

Filed Under: Fall Prevention, Senior Health Concerns

The Lifetime Risk for Osteoporotic Fracture is 50% for Women Over Fifty

March 8, 2011 by Leave a Comment

At the March 4, Osteoporosis Update at Washington Hospital, I learned a few important things about how to protect my bones. The first presenter, Dr. Barry Shibuya, clarified the difference for me between osteoporosis and joint pain. Osteoporosis is painless, (unless you have a fracture), while osteoarthritis hurts. Also, osteoporosis medication does not relieve joint pain; it only helps protect the body against future bone loss.

Dr. Shibuya alerted the audience to the harmful effect of steroid medication such as Prednisone on bone loss, saying, “If you take 5 mg of Prednisone for three months or longer, you will lose 25% of your bone density within one year.” To protect against osteoporosis he recommended exercise to build bones (bones are like muscles, they become stronger through resistive exercises), increasing your intake of calcium and Vitamin D, ending bad habits such as smoking and enrolling in a Fall Prevention program.

Maureen Parent, Coordinator of LIFE ElderCare’s Fall Prevention program, spoke after Dr. Shibuya and reiterated the importance of exercise in preventing falls. She pointed out that falls are the number one reason why seniors lose their independence. After a fall, the fear of falling again restricts a person’s willingness to engage in normal activities. And, the more sedentary and homebound they become, the more likely they are to fall again. People who have completed the 12-week, in-home, Fall Prevention class have reported a significant decrease (up to 70%) in their fear of falling again.

The major risk factors for falls are balance impairments, weak muscles, impaired vision, medications, and home environmental hazards such as inadequate lighting, clutter, throw rugs, as well as the incorrect use of assisted devices such as canes and walkers. The Fall Prevention program at LIFE ElderCare addresses all of the risk factors through a personalized exercise program, assistance with medication management and assistance with reducing hazards in the home. Enrollment is continuous so if you are age 60 and older, and are predominately homebound, this is a great way to keep you free from falls.

Rachael Vander Martin, Communications Specialist

See links for more information:

LIFE ElderCare Fall Prevention
Assess your Future Fracture Risk
Dr. Barry Shibuya

Filed Under: Fall Prevention, Senior Health Concerns Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

LIFE ElderCare can help older adults meet the new 2010 Dietary Guidelines.

February 1, 2011 by Leave a Comment

Meals On Wheels

Meals On Wheels provides one nutritionally balanced, healthy meal a day.

The 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, issued yesterday by the US Department of Agriculture, focuses on balancing calories with physical activity, and encourages Americans to consume more healthy foods like vegetables, fruits, whole grains, fat-free and low-fat dairy products, and seafood, and to consume less sodium, saturated and trans fats, added sugars, and refined grains. LIFE ElderCare’s Meals On Wheels program, along with the Fall Prevention program, can help get older Tri-City residents get on track to meet these goals.

Meals delivered through our Meals On Wheels program are specifically designed to meet the nutritional parameters set by the Older Americans Act and the Alameda Area Agency on Aging. Every fresh cooked meal provides one-third of the minimum daily requirements for older adults and includes food that is high in Vitamin A and Vitamin C. The entrees are low fat, contain no added salt, and are delivered with a pint of milk and fresh fruit.

Our Fall Prevention program helps seniors by enrolling them in a 12-week, personalized, in-home exercise program that includes a weekly support visit from students enrolled in Unitek College’s LVN program. Through the use of resistance bands, gentle stretching and strengthening exercises, participants are able to gradually improve their muscle strength, balance and gait. This leads to greater mobility, enhanced functioning and less fear about falling in the future.

Here are some of the tips that will be provided to help consumers translate the Dietary Guidelines into their everyday lives:

  • Enjoy your food, but eat less.
  • Avoid oversized portions.
  • Make half your plate fruits and vegetables.
  • Switch to fat-free or low-fat (1%) milk.
  • Compare sodium in foods like soup, bread, and frozen meals – and
  • choose the foods with lower numbers.
  • Drink water instead of sugary drinks.
Filed Under: Fall Prevention, Senior Health Concerns, Senior Meals & Nutrition, Volunteer Opportunities Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Meals On Wheels helps homebound, obese woman get one healthy meal a day.

January 24, 2011 by 1 Comment

We all know how hard it is to lose five to ten pounds. But what if you needed to lose 300 pounds? Where would you start? One woman in our Meals On Wheels program is starting with one healthy meal a day. At close to 500 pounds she is unable to shop or cook, and has not left her home in two years. While she does have friends who bring food to her every week, it is not the kind of food that contributes to healthy eating habits or losing weight.

Her weight started ballooning after a serious car accident in which many of her bones were broken. After going through many surgeries she has struggled to adjust to the changes in her body. Being unable to walk for many months, she gradually stopped participating in activities that she had previously enjoyed and started relying more and more on friends for her basic needs.

Obesity can lead to a number of chronic health problems but one problem that is rarely discussed is clothes. While there are stores that specialize in clothes for overweight people, they are of no use to those who cannot leave their home to shop, or who need to have their clothes custom made. Recently, she found someone who has sewing skills who has agreed to help her design a few new dresses. I put her in touch with a City of Fremont case manager to discuss the many programs that are available to help Fremont residents who are disabled and she was very grateful.

Notes From the Field
Barb Proctor, LIFE ElderCare Meals On Wheels Assessment Coordinator

Filed Under: Meals on Wheels, Senior Health Concerns, Senior Meals & Nutrition, Volunteer Opportunities Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Cal State East Bay nursing students bring enthusiasm, skills and caring into educating seniors about hypertension.

December 7, 2010 by Leave a Comment

For the past six years, under the leadership of Marty Fraga, Cal State East Bay nursing students have been making a difference in the lives of our Meals On Wheels clients. Through her CSUEB course, Public and Community Health, Clinical, Marty’s students conduct in-home quarterly assessments that include health, medication and home safety checks. In July 2010, we added a new component to the assessment, a pilot program that helps seniors learn about hypertension and the importance of monitoring their blood pressure. People who enroll in the program are given a blood pressure monitor and receive training on how to use it.

Of the 200 people who have been told about the program, 53 have agreed to participate. A few people have initially said no to joining because they get their blood pressure checked when they visit their doctor. But a person’s blood pressure goes up and down during the course of a day. To demonstrate this, the student takes their blood pressure at the beginning of the visit and again at the end so they can see the difference.

The nursing students have found a surprising number of people who have purchased a blood pressure cuff in the past but rarely use it. They may have done a reading once or twice when they first got it, but then never bothered to use it again. Other people have the cuff but don’t want to use it because if the reading is high, they think they will feel too stressed. A few people have said they don’t think it’s important to know what their blood pressure is. But like diabetes, high blood pressure can easily go undetected, and the complications from not knowing can be deadly.

The pilot program helps older adults see that monitoring can be both simple and affordable. Participants are initially asked to record three readings per day - morning, noon and evening, and then choose the time when it is highest to check their blood pressure every day. By keeping logs of their daily readings, the participants can give their doctors a much closer look at how their blood pressure varies throughout the day.

“Blood pressure monitoring should be an integral part of every older person’s health routine,” said one of the students. ”It’s easy to do, affordable and it puts you in control of managing your own health.”

Filed Under: Meals on Wheels, Positive Aging, Senior Health Concerns, Senior Meals & Nutrition, Volunteer Opportunities Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Seniors who could benefit from Fall Prevention programs often fall between two worlds.

November 18, 2010 by Leave a Comment

Fall Prevention programs abound for fit seniors who are able to get to community centers and other group venues where the routines are designed to help those who are healthy, mobile and have a relatively low risk of falling. But what happens to seniors who don’t meet these minimum requirements; the forgotten seniors who are out of sight from others in their community, who live alone and who are often isolated? Living independently, with multiple ailments, they are at great risk for a fall. Perhaps they are recovering from a recent surgery and have exhausted their Medicare benefits for physical therapy. Or, they may have completed the recommended course of action after a fall — hospitalization, release to a skilled nursing facility and perhaps a few in-home physical therapy sessions, but their risk of falling again is still high.

These seniors fall between two worlds. Where services abound for others, they may find themselves too strong for medical care in a skilled nursing facility, yet too frail for a congregate workout. How do they address the multiple factors that can potentially cause a fall? Who will inspire, coach and motivate them to build muscle strength to improve their balance and gait, and ultimately reduce their risk of falling?

LIFE ElderCare’s Fall Prevention program addresses each of the leading predictors of a fall:

  • Balance and gait are improved through a personalized exercise routine that is approved by the client’s primary care physician and monitored over a twelve week period, in the participant’s home.
  • Home hazard assessments are completed and minor modifications are provided.
  • Medication management. An in-depth assessment by a Touro University licensed pharmacist is included with medication cards provided to the client and their primary care physician.

Post assessment data of seniors who complete a 12-week session show an average improvement of 50% on the following factors: balance, strength, flexibility, energy, stamina, mobility and ability to prevent a fall. A stunning 71% of participants report an improvement in their mood.

Think for a moment about the older adults you know. Is there someone who could benefit by participating in a Fall Prevention program? Please help us spread the word. Additional information is available on our website, by mail, or simply give us a call at 510-574-2088. Enrollment is continuous so anytime is the perfect time to get started.

Maureen Parent
Fall Prevention Coordinator

Filed Under: Fall Prevention, Senior Health Concerns Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Spread the word, falling is not inevitable.

October 13, 2010 by Leave a Comment

The Fall Prevention program at LIFE ElderCare is starting a new 12-week session in mid-November. Past participants have reported the following improvements in activities of daily living.

  • Balance 52%
  • Strength 64%
  • Flexibility 54%
  • Energy 60%
  • Stamina 54%
  • Mobility 56%
  • Mood 71%
  • Ability to prevent a fall 63%


What is included in the program, and how it works:

- Personalized in-home exercises.

- Home safety check, minor home modifications (such as grab bars, hand held shower assists, commode rails).

- Medication review for possible drug interactions (which are a significant risk factor in falls).

After you enroll, a Certified Fitness Trainer will come to your home to assess your level of mobility and create a personalized exercise routine that you will be expected to practice over a 10-12 week period. During this time an LVN nursing student from Unitek College will come by every week to answer questions, provide additional instruction and assess your progress.

If you know someone who is age 60 or older and who lives in Fremont, Newark or Union City, call Sandy at 510-574-2087 or send her an email and we’ll get you started. The program is offered at no charge to Tri-City residents.

Watch video testimonials from two of our participants:
Enis, age 93 and Steve, age 93.

LIFE ElderCare has been providing the basics of life to frail, homebound seniors for the past 35 years.

Filed Under: Fall Prevention, Senior Health Concerns Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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