Community Update (9/15/22)

Wellness

Falls Prevention & Safety Expo, Friday, September 16 at 10 am
Falls are the #1 reason older adults end up in the ER, but falls are not a normal part of aging and can be prevented. Learn from experts throughout the community about fall risks and fall prevention strategies. Arlington County 55+ Program, VHC Health, and Northern Virginia Falls Prevention Alliance are hosting a Falls Prevention & Safety Expo on Friday, September 16, 10 am to noon at Lubber Run Community Center, 300 North Park Drive. The event is free; no registration is required.  Stop by anytime during the scheduled event.
 
Informational booths, activities and screenings will be available and include fall risk assessment, balance and strength exercises, medication review with a pharmacist, home modification techniques, blood pressure and vision screening, along with general safety tips to protect yourself and your home. 

Falls Prevention Classes
Matter of Balance, Virtual class
The Northern Virginia Falls Prevention Alliance is offering a FREE virtual Matter of Balance workshop that will begin on September 20, during Falls Prevention Awareness Week. A Matter of Balance is an 8-week, 2-hour class that is an evidence-based cognitive restructuring program. The program will focus on how we view falling, our fears of falling, strategies for preventing a fall, and participation in gentle exercises. 
This is open to all older adults in our region. It will run on Tuesdays from 10 am to noon. Space is limited. Registration required.

Falls Prevention Awareness Week is September 18-24
Theme: Strengthening Community Connection 
On average, one in four Americans age 65+ fall each year. The financial toll for older adult falls may reach over $101 billion by 2030. The good news is that falls are not an inevitable result of aging. Most falls can be prevented! The National Council on Aging provides facts, tools, and fall prevention strategies to help keep you safe. As the leading cause of fatal and nonfatal injuries for older Americans, falls threaten seniors’ safety and independence, and generate enormous economic and personal costs. We know that with practical lifestyle adjustments, evidence-based falls prevention programs, and clinical-community partnerships, many falls among seniors can prevented.
 
Here’s a great resource on falls prevention. 

Also make sure to take a look at the Falls Free Check Up Tool that is free and easy to use.
 
For information about falls prevention programs and events in our area, please check out the Northern Virginia Falls Prevention Alliance’s website.

Finding Mental Calm
September is Healthy Aging Month. There is so much we could include here for that!  However, with so much uncertainty and insecurity swirling around our planet at the moment, it behooves us to tend to our mental/emotional “healthy aging.”
 
Recently the New York Times (Science section, 6/28/22) included research done on “The Calming Power of Therapy Dogs.” While this research was done on children in the UK, other research has focused on aging people and “therapy animals”. While we all chuckle about the person with the “therapy (7 foot) alligator,” or the “therapy peacock” which was not allowed on an airplane, we are most familiar with cats and dogs; our warm-blooded pets. Research shows a huge decrease in the body’s stress hormones when a therapy dog is given attention (petted, scratched) when a person is in high anxiety. Some people who were very anxious, depressed, and closed off to others, began to relax and open up when engaged by a therapy dog. And for a treat, a current “feel good” movie (Netflix), you might watch Gigi and Nate, the story about a young man who becomes paralyzed in a diving accident, and his “therapy” monkey! 
 
So go pet a neighbor’s (friendly) dog, and forge “therapy friendships” with a friendly animal near you. Then, just notice how much calmer and more relaxed you feel!
 
To calm the mind, a favorite method is Meditation. But some people say they don’t know how to do this. A.C. Shilton (NYTimes, 8/30/22) gives a simple, clear “how-to.” Getting the mind to stop the chatter to gain mindfulness is not easy at first. But, continuing to practice focusing the mind, letting the chatter pass through and then refocus attention on one thing (such as your breathing), does pay off. Each time you get distracted, notice that, and start again. Just the fact that you noticed the distraction is actually proof of success. And don’t forget to encourage yourself and forgive yourself as you go. Doing this, focusing on your breath, for just 10 minutes a day can have big rewards. And you can meditate no matter where you are. Very anxious at the Medical office before an appointment? Slip into the washroom cubicle and meditate for a few minutes. This also gives you time to refuel your confidence and to “remain present” during the visit so you can understand everything that happens there.