Before last week, I never fully understood just how big of a health problem falling is, especially among older adults. Fortunately, you can take steps to help reduce your risk of falling.
I was at a presentation on Fall Prevention conducted last week at the Heritage Woods of Batavia affordable assisted living community that we manage in Batavia, Illinois. The presentation was conducted by representatives of The Tillers Nursing & Rehabilitation Center in Oswego.
The Tillers is run by the Saxon family, with whom Blair Minton and I have had the privilege of working. Medicare has awarded The Tillers a 5-Star rating. Their rehab center features an Activities of Daily Living Lab (ADL), with full residential-style kitchen and bathroom; fully-equipped therapy gym; full-size automobile; and award-winning Garden Path.
A Few Fall Facts
Kelly Ramlo, is a licensed occupational therapist with Legacy Rehab at The Tillers, presented some key information about falls among older adults.
30% to 50% of people 65 and older fall at least once a year.
More than half of the falls occur in and around the house, with the bathroom being the #1 spot for falls.
Falls is a leading reason why older adults are seen in the Emergency Room and are hospitalized.
According to the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), falls are the leading cause of death due to injury among older adults. The CDC also points out that many people who fall, even if not injured, develop a fear of falling. Because of the fear, they limit their activity, which leads to reduced physical fitness and mobility, which leads to an even higher risk of falling.
Nine Tips to Fall Prevention
Fortunately, Kelly said, there are steps you can take to help improve your balance and reduce your risk of falling.
Stay physically active. Plan an exercise program that is right for you. Regular exercise makes you stronger and improves muscles. It also helps keep your joints, tendons and ligaments flexible. Mild weight-bearing activities such as walking or climbing stairs may slow bone loss from osteoporosis.
Have your eyes and hearing tested often. Even small changes in sight and hearing can put you at risk for falling. When you get new eyeglasses, take time to get used to them. Always wear your glasses when you need them. If you have a hearing aid, be sure it fits well and wear it.
Find out about the side effects of any medicine you take. If a drug makes you sleepy or dizzy, tell your doctor or pharmacist.
Get enough sleep. If you are sleepy, you are more likely to fall.
Limit the amount of alcohol you drink. Even a small amount can affect your balance and reflexes.
Stand up slowly after eating, lying down or sitting. Getting up too quickly can cause your blood pressure to drop, which can make you feel faint.
Use a cane, walking stick or walker to help you feel steadier when you walk. This is very important when you are walking in areas that you don’t know well or in places where walkways are uneven. And be careful when walking on wet or icy surfaces. Be sure to have sand or salt to spread on icy areas by your front and back door.
Wear rubber-soled, low heeled shoes that fully support your feet. Wearing socks or shoes or slippers with smooth soles on stairs or floors without a carpet can be unsafe.
Learn how strong your bones are. Ask your doctor about a special test called a bone mineral density test. If this test shows that your bones are weak, your doctor can tell you about steps you can take to make them stronger and less likely to break.
Our thanks to Claudeen Saxon and to Kelly for sharing this information to residents and guests last week at Heritage Woods of Batavia and for allowing us to share it with you in this weeks BMA Blog. Be sure to share it with others.
What are your thoughts? Leave a comment and let us know.
“BMA Management is the leading provider of affordable assisted living in Illinois and one of the 20 largest providers of assisted living in the United States.”
Several years ago, our daughters introduced us to a holiday tradition here in Chicago.
They took us to the vintage Music Box Theatre in the Lakeview neighborhood for the annual Christmas Show that features the Frank Capra classic “It’s A Wonderful Life.”
What a treat! Santa appeared and welcomed the audience. Accompanied by the theatre’s organist, the Jolly Ole Soul led us in a sing-along of cherished Christmas Carols. The lyrics were projected onto the screen so I had nary an excuse not to participate, no matter how much I lack the ability to hit a right note let alone carry a tune.
Audience participation was the norm during the movie as well, with cheers for Jimmy Stewart and hisses for Mr. Potter. People in the audience rang bells when in the movie bells rang to mark an angel being awarded his or her wings.
The movie, which shows a despairing George Bailey what his hometown would be like had he never been born, ranks among my all time favorite Christmas movies. Others on my Top Ten list in no particular order are:
The 1951 version of “Scrooge,” with Alastair Sims as Ebenezer Scrooge.
Angels, miracles, touching lives and the melting of hardened hearts tend to be common themes of classic Christmas movies, Blair Minton, founder of BMA Management, noted at the 2010 BMA Holiday Awards Program.
Singing Fa, La, La’s is not our expertise; taking care of seniors is, Dawn Powell and Diane Lopez pointed out in their Holiday Message for 2010. During this season of Thanks, Giving and Love, we give thanks for our ability to bring smiles, joy and comfort to older adults. Dawn is the Administrator and Diane the Director of Marketing for our Heritage Woods affordable assisted living community in Sterling, Illinois.
During this Holiday Season, we also give thanks for the Supportive Living program here in Illinois. Through the program, thousands of older adults of all incomes who need some help to maintain their independence are able to live a more wonderful life, filled with personal choice, privacy and dignity.
As a mission-driven company, we are grateful to have grown to become the largest provider of affordable assisted living in Illinois and one of the 25 largest providers of assisted living in the nation.
Above all, we are thankful for all of the angels at our senior living communities who touch the lives of nearly 3,000 older adults not just during the Holiday Season, but 24 hours a day each and every day of the year. We appreciate their dedication to our values of providing older adults with the Love, Compassion and Dignity they deserve.
Click play on the player below to listen to Dawn and Diane’s Holiday Message, and click here for examples of how BMA angels have been able to Touch Lives of seniors and their families.
May you and your family have a blessed Holiday Season. Happy New Year. And, let us know about your favorite Holiday Movies.
What are your thoughts? Leave a comment and let us know.
“BMA Management is the leading provider of affordable assisted living in Illinois and one of the 20 largest providers of assisted living in the United States.”
I had the privilege last week of serving as guest speaker for a meeting of the Advisory Council of a National Coalition dedicated to promoting quality and affordability in assisted living.
We talked about the tsunami of older adults that will be hitting the United States in the coming years and about the Supportive Living program that we have here in Illinois as a model for affordable assisted living throughout the United States.
The Silver Tsunami
Today, there are 2.5 million individuals in the U.S. who are 85 years of age and older. In 2030 the number is projected to triple to more than 8 million. In 2050, the number is projected to swell to 21 million.
In 2009, 16% of all men and 21% of all women over the age of 65 who lived alone had incomes that fell below the federal poverty level.
Nearly 45% of our 75+ population living at home have annual household incomes of less than $25,000 and 60% have less than $35,000. The average cost for assisted living tops $3,000 a month and $36,000 a year.
The Supportive Living Program
The Supportive Living Program that we have in Illinois serves as a prime example of how we can meet the needs of older adults, while improving the quality living in a more cost friendly manner
Before the Supportive Living Program, the only options available for older adults who needed assistance and couldn’t afford assisted living was to move into a nursing home (which was much more costly to the state) or struggle alone at home.
The program benefits the state. In the 2009 fiscal year, estimates show that the Supportive Living program saved the State of Illinois $90 million.
The first Supportive Living community opened for occupancy a little over 10 years ago. Serving as an economic stimulus, the program has generated $750 million in new construction and renovation projects. Creating more than 4,321 new jobs.
Best of all, the program provides older adults with a much more dignified. They can enjoy a residential environment designed to provide safety, security, love, compassion and independence.
Unlike assisted living communities that tend to be located in areas of higher incomes and higher housing values, Supportive Living communities are located throughout Illinois – in urban, suburban and rural areas. Together, the nearly 120 Supportive Living communities currently in operation house nearly 9,400 apartments.
On average, more than 60% of the residents at the 30 affordable assisted living communities that we operate receive financial assistance from Medicaid.
I invite you to visit our website at www.bma-mgmt.com for more information about Supportive Living, the affordable assisted living communities that we operate through the program, and how we are touching the lives of older adults and their families.
What are your thoughts? Leave a comment and let us know.
“BMA Management is the leading provider of affordable assisted living in Illinois and one of the 20 largest providers of assisted living in the United States.”
By Rick Banas, Vice President of Strategic Marketing at BMA Management
As Bill Rodgers RN talked, a common thread become apparent.
Being physically active, eating properly and losing weight are three great ways to reduce your risk of diabetes, heart disease, heart attack, stroke and other health problems.
Bill is a Cardiovascular Clinician at Anderson Hospital in Maryville, Illinois. He was doing a presentation at the Cambridge House of Maryville affordable assisted living community on, “Knowing Your Numbers for Healthy Living.”
He talked about cholesterol. Your HDL is your ‘good’ or your ‘Happy Cholesterol.’ Men should have an HDL level of at least 40 and women should have an HDL level of at least 50. Levels above 60 are best.
Your LDL is your ‘bad’ or your ‘Lousy Cholesterol.’ LDL levels below 100 are optimal. Levels between 130 and 159 are considered borderline high, between 160 and 189 are considered high, and 190 and above are very high.
Bill recommended five things you can do to improve your cholesterol as well as your triglyceride numbers:
Lose Weight
Be Physically Active
Decrease Your Intake of Fat
Decrease Your Intake of Cholesterol
Increase Your Intake of Fiber
He pointed out that your waist size might predict your risk for developing heart disease and diabetes. Men with a waist size above 40 inches and women above 35 inches have an increased risk.
High Blood Pressure (Hypertension) nicknamed ‘The Silent Killer,’ can increase your risk for disease of the arteries, heart, brain, kidneys and eyes.
According to Bill:
Blood pressure of 120 over 80 is considered Normal
120 to 139 over 80 to 89 is considered Pre-Hypertension
140 to 159 over 90 to 99 is Stage One: Hypertension
160+ over 100+ is Stage Two: Hypertension
To reduce your blood pressure numbers, you can…
Lose Weight
Be Physically Active
Reduce Your Intake of Sodium
Another thing you can do is to increase your intake of Omega 3 Fatty Acids. Flax seed oil and cold water fish are two good sources.
By quitting smoking and reducing your intake of alcohol and caffeine can help you keep your blood pressure down and health up.
Bill stressed the importance of routine check-ups and follow-up visits with your physicians. If medications are prescribed, take them as recommended and do not stop unless your doctor tells you to do so.
You might also want to visit the American College of Cardiology’s CardioSmart website at www.cardiosmart.org
What are your thoughts? Leave a comment and let us know.
“BMA Management is the leading provider of affordable assisted living in Illinois and one of the 20 largest providers of assisted living in the United States.”
When Dixielee welcomed me into her apartment so we could chat, she had a stack of the latest edition of the O’Fallon Progress newspaper sitting on her lap. She had been crocheting an Afghan as she waited for Ray, her husband and high school sweetheart, to return from getting his hair cut in the community’s Barber Shop. She pointed out the photos of their engagement, wedding, five sons and seven grandchildren that she had on display in their apartment.
She had every right to brag. Dixielee and Ray were celebrating their 54th Wedding Anniversary.
The reason that she had so many copies of the O’Fallon Progress was that the newspaper featured a picture and story about the new Red Hat group that Dixielee had organized. As Queen Mother of the “Wrinkles in Time” group, Dixielee wanted to be sure that copies of the paper would be available for all those who had attended the first get together that was held in February in the private dining room at Cambridge House. Click here to read the article.
“We don’t have meetings.” Dixielee explained. “We are a bunch of little girls playing dress up. All we have to do is eat, drink and be merry.”
Dressing up in their Red Hats for the first time, members with names such as Charming Charlotte, Exquisite Eleanor and Ravishing Rita told stories about their hats, tea cups and saucers. Cream puffs, éclairs and three varieties of tea were served.
“We’ll be meeting every other month at Cambridge House,” says Dixielee. “The other months, we’ll go out.”
Fond memories of having been a member of a Red Hat Society in Alabama for about nine years is what prompted Dixielee to start the Wrinkles in Time group.
Dixielee and Ray moved back to the St. Louis Metro East area to be closer to family. They made the move to Cambridge House of O’Fallon on September 1, 2009.
Dixielee, who has been involved in sales all her life, says she fell in love with Cambridge House as soon as she came in the door.
“In eleven days, we went from nine rooms to two rooms,” says Dixielee. “It is the best thing we ever did. The staff is so helpful and so eager to please.”
Also for Dixielee, the location is great as her sister, Sandra, lives only two blocks away.
Buying into the idea of moving to assisted living was much more difficult for Ray to accept. He had worked as a Production Control Supervisor for MacDonald Douglas before retiring in 1992. As the man of the house, he saw providing for the needs of the family as his responsibility. As much as he appreciates the attention he receives at Cambridge House, he never envisioned this role reversal.
What are your thoughts? Leave a comment and let us know.
“BMA Management is the leading provider of affordable assisted living in Illinois and one of the 20 largest providers of assisted living in the United States.”
Today, there are 2.5 million individuals in the U.S. who are 85 years of age and older. In 2030 the number is projected to triple to more than 8 million. In 2050, the number is projected to swell to 21 million.
