Classes help seniors deal with falling and balancing issues

Lancaster Eagle Gazette

Joanne Hurst, left, and Marilyn Hock do exercises designed to help them stretch and increase their balance Wednesday, Oct. 17, 2018, during a balance training class at Olivedale Senior Center in Lancaster.

LANCASTER - A fall can be a traumatic experience for an older person.

To help seniors deal with falls, Meals on Wheels Older Adult Alternatives of Fairfield County has been hosting free weekly classes this fall at the Olivedale Senior Center. The last "A Matter of Balance" class will be at 1 p.m. Wednesday and is for those 60 and older.

The classes deal with helping seniors get over the fear of falling.

"They'll stay inside because if they've fallen before, they think: 'Oh, I don't want to go out and fall again. I'm afraid,'" Meals on Wheels aging services director Linda McDonald said. "So it helps them learn more about the different things to be mindful of."

The seniors also learn about flexibility, balance and strength in the classes.

There are several things that can cause an older person to fall. McDonald said they include medications, failing eyesight, lower body weakness and problems in the home like rugs and improper lighting.

A fall can result in wrist injuries, leg injuries, head injuries and broken hips, among others.

Chris Sulick leads a balance training class in exercises designed to increase balance and decrease the chance someone falls Wednesday, Oct. 17, 2018, at Olivedale Senior Center in Lancaster.

McDonald said a fall can be devastating not only to the senior, but to their family members, too, as they may have to care for their injured loved one.

One of the goals of the classes is to give seniors more confidence. McDonald said some in the class became more assertive as the weeks went by. She said that is important because some seniors may think they'll lose their independence if they tell their doctor or family member about a fall.

But McDonald said such a conversation could lead to a simple solution to falling, like changing medications.

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She said other ways to prevent falls include having better lighting in the home and being aware of surroundings. McDonald said seniors sometimes trip and fall on the concrete curbs that are common in parking spaces, so being aware the curb is there could prevent a fall.

McDonald said some seniors may be afraid to go out when it is raining, fearing they have better chance of falling. But one class member said she simply calls for a taxi or uses public transpiration in poor weather. Another one said she asks her neighbor to watch as she is walking down a sloped sidewalk by her house in case she falls.

"So it's just kind of rethinking things and adjusting to the environment," McDonald said.

Meals on Wheels holds the classes in the spring and fall, but McDonald said the agency hopes to add more because there was a waiting list for the current session.

Those interested in upcoming classes can call Meals on Wheels at 740-681-5050.

jbarron@gannett.com

740-681-4340

Twitter: @JeffDBarron

Irene Osborne, right, points to a potential tripping hazard in a photograph as she and Neva Nameth, left, try to identify hazards in the room depicted Wednesday, Oct. 17, 2018, at Olivedale Senior Center in Lancaster. Osborne and Nameth were participating a balance training class designed to help senior citizens decrease their chance of falling.