NEWS RELEASE
Contact:
June 11, 2016
Christine Hall, MIRM, CSP, CMD, ATM
Sr. Director of Marketing and PR
253-752-6621
[email protected]
For Immediate Release
Do You Fear Falling?
FTJ is offering a class called Staying Up to help seniors improve their balance
Tacoma, WA – Everyone from the youngest exercisers to the oldest can benefit from balance training
exercises. However, balance exercises are especially important for senior citizens, who sadly experience
a high rate of injury and fatality due to declining physical systems, including the balance system. All
functional movements require a working balance system, from getting up out of your chair to walking to
dancing to sprinting and everything in between. Good balance prevents injury, improves athletic
performance, and eases activities of daily life as you go about your day.
That is why FTJ is offering a class called “Staying Up” – to help seniors improve their balance. The
class consists of exercises aiming at enhancing a person’s mobility and balance, and exercises are
performed either in a chair or standing. The focus is to reduce the fear of falling. Staying Up is taught
on Wednesdays at 3:00pm in the FTJ M.J. Wicks Wellness/Fitness Center, and the class lasts
approximately 45 minutes.
“Balance is an integral part of overall health and is of special importance to seniors,” says Colin Deck, FTJ
Wellness Coordinator. “Like any type of exercise, balance must be trained in order to see improvements
and prevent further losses. By participating in balance training several times a week you may reduce
your fall risk, increase mobility and improve your overall quality of life. We offer a variety of classes that
work to improve balance including Staying Up, Tai Chi and Yoga. In addition, we spend time working on
balance in all of our strength classes. Please come check us out and we will find the right fit for you.”
Every year, one in three seniors ages 65 and over experience a fall. Twenty to thirty percent of these
falls result in serious injuries, such as lacerations, fractures, and traumatic brain injuries. Even worse,
falls are the leading cause of injury-related death in senior citizens.
Cont…
The good news is that many of these falls can be prevented through physical activity, including strength
training, cardiovascular exercise, and especially balance training. Although declining balance in seniors is
partially based on unavoidable biological changes, behavioral factors and environmental factors are just
as important, and this is where balance training exercises and mindfulness of balance issues come in to
make a big difference.
The decline of balance in seniors can be looked at as a downward spiral. The first fall or just the decline
of stability can lead to a fear of falling. We begin to limit our activities due to this new fear. Decreased
physical activity then leads to decreased fitness levels in the areas of strength, endurance, flexibility, and
balance, compounding the battle against time and gravity.
Thus, the risk of falling is actually increased when we begin to limit our activity level due to our fear of
falling. Don’t fall prey to the downward spiral of declining balance ability; staying active to maintain your
physical fitness is the best way to prevent falls.
The following challenges to balance become more difficult to navigate with aging- and inactivity- related
changes:

Stopping and starting

Standing up and sitting down

Surface changes, such as pavement to grass or wood floor to carpet

Uneven surfaces, such as sidewalks or park trails

Negotiating obstacles, such as the corner of a rug or coffee table

Changing speed

Changing direction

Level changes, such as going up or down curbs
When you consider how many of the above scenarios you encounter every day, perhaps it will give you
a new appreciation for the importance of balance and a renewed desire to maintain and improve your
balance system!
I love the following quote about aging by George Bernard Shaw: “We don’t stop playing because we
grow old. We grow old because we stop playing.” Remember that while some aging-related changes are
inevitable, you have more control over your body and your life than you might think. Staying active is
one of the very best things you can do for yourself at any phase of your life, and especially as you age.
(A majority of this information came from author Mae Barraclough. Ms. Barraclough, B.S., NASM-CPT,
NASM-CES is a certified personal trainer, corrective exercise specialist, and licensed Zumba Instructor).
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Franke Tobey Jones ~ From the minute you set foot on the beautiful grounds at Franke Tobey Jones you’ll feel at
home. Our vibrant senior community is a place where close friends and memories are made; a place where our
warm, caring staff strives to make every day the best it can be. We promote the enjoyment of living and life.
Exercise your mind with a Senior University enrichment course. Take a walk around the grounds. Join us for a Tai
Chi class. Enjoy coffee at the Bistro Café with friends. You choose how to spend your time. From independent living
to memory care, Franke Tobey Jones is a place you can call home.