Alberta seniors are being encouraged to stay active in order to prevent injuries from falls as part of the Finding Balance campaign, an annual initiative co-ordinated by the Injury Prevention Centre.
“Studies show that by keeping active, it does increase our strength and balance,” said Jodie Breadner, program co-ordinator with Alberta Health Services. “That’s one of the key factors in helping prevent falls from happening.”
One in three Alberta seniors will fall at least once this year. According to Breadner, 10,000 hospital admissions and 29,000 emergency department visits were caused by fall-related injuries in 2014.
“The average hospital admission cost for a fall is over $20,000. The average length of stay for a fall-related injury is three weeks,” she said. “So that’s pretty significant. I think reducing the likelihood of that happening is very powerful.
“What we want to do is raise awareness and tell people what they can do to prevent a fall so that they’re not becoming one of the statistics.”
Vic Klassen, general manager of Cedarwood Station Retirement Residence in Airdrie, said exercise classes and activities such as chair yoga and chair dances helped to keep seniors limber and active.
“(Also), people who are supposed to use aids should they need it, that’s for stability. With winter coming, it’s a regular thing. We know that if you are going outside it is slippery,” he said. “It’s a lot more serious. Our bones, as we get older, get a little more fragile and need a little bit more care.”
In addition to keeping active, the Finding Balance campaign suggests three other habits seniors can practice in order to reduce the likelihood of future falls – including regularly checking medication, watching where they step and speaking up about instances of dizziness.
“Those four key messages, those are (things) that we can all do. Although older adults are more at risk, anyone can fall,” Breadner said. “It’s just with our older adult population, the incidents of falls are greater.
“That’s why we want to get those messages out.”
Breadner said seniors looking to focus on exercise and staying active should first check with their health care provider to ensure they are fit for exercise. Popular options for senior exercise include walking, tennis and even tai chi.
“Tai chi is very popular,” Breadner said. “People might also want to check in to (places like) Genesis Place (Recreation Centre) to see what kind of programming might be available for older adults.”
Seniors looking to join in the Finding Balance campaign can also participate in the Keep Active Challenge, which tracks time spent on physical activity and plots it on a virtual trip across Alberta. Users can pick a destination and log activity towards their “journey.”
“They can register as an individual, as a group or an organization,” Breadner said. “One minute of moderate activity equals 100 steps.
“A friendly challenge always brings that competitive element into things. It makes it much more fun to participate.”
For more information on the Finding Balance campaign, visit findingbalancealberta.ca
