We recently were at a health fair at a Sunland Village, a 55+ senior living community in Mesa Arizona. We talked about the benefits of living at Fellowship Square Mesa and the levels of care from Independent Living, Assisted Living, Memory Care and the technologies we have available to promote living more independent.
One of the guests at the health fair approached me and expressed her genuine concerns about falling. From the knowledge of this guest about falling she had developed a real interest in learning what preventive measures can be done to prevent a fall. I am sure that this fear came from an experience of seeing a friend or loved one fall and the complications of falling.
Falling is a Real Fear
Falling is a real fear for many seniors, and we often hear about all the statistics as to the outcome of falls. I am sure that we have heard of the static of one out of every four adults over the age of 65 will fall this year. Most people will note the concern, and we tell ourselves it will not happen to me, then continue with our week. If we are over 65 years old, we should be concerned about falling with these statistics. Just like our daily nutrition, we should be involved and doing something to help prevent falls. Falling is not a natural part of aging.
One of the technologies we have available at Fellowship Square Mesa is being able to measure each resident’s gait and balance. Being able to measure gait and balance allows us to help pinpoint any risk factors of falling. These factors can help a person take the preventative steps and reduce the chance of a fall. We know that there are many factors of why people fall and it is not limited to a person’s gait and balance, but this is a significant factor of falls.
The guest at the health fair that expressed her concerns about falling, we were able to measure her gait, and balance and give some recommendations that could help her take some actions to help prevent a fall. We offer this service to anyone who would like to have their Gait and Balance measured and had Fellowship Square Mesa complete the assessment. If we can help prevent a fall, we are helping our community. Our mission statement states, “Through Christian love and excellence we are dedicated to providing a fulfilling lifestyle and promoting independence to those we serve. “