At Prestige Senior Living, fall reduction is one of our core priorities. Falls represent one of the most pressing health concerns facing older adults – according to the CDC, every year 36 million falls are reported in that age demographic.
Falls can have significant physical and emotional impacts on senior and their families. They’re the leading cause of hip fractures and traumatic brain injuries in older Americans, and a fall, or the fear of one, can cause seniors to withdraw from day-to-day activities, leading to loneliness and isolation.
But there are ways to reduce the chances of a fall, and one of the most effective is exercise. At Prestige Senior Living, our Energize Exercise program is designed to help our residents build and maintain strength to help keep them safe.
Elicia Stewart is a wellness coach at Prestige Senior Living, and in this blog there are three videos where she showcases the different elements of Energize Exercise.
The great thing about this program is that they can be tailored to the ability level of the participant – meaning they can be done seated, standing or a combination of both.
If you’d like to participate with the videos, please ensure you are physically healthy enough to do so, and please check with a physician if you’re not sure. Also, if you or a loved one are considering senior living, at Prestige our wellness coaches meet with all new residents to do an assessment and then tailor the workout plan to their abilities – so even if some of the exercises in the videos aren’t for you, at Prestige we’d make sure you’re getting the right level of fitness to stay fit and strong.
First up is Activate – please make sure you have a sturdy chair ready, as these exercises will all be done while seated. If you have an exercise ball or a balloon, that will be helpful, as well as resistance bands. But if you don’t have those items, just follow along to the best of your abilities:
Next up is Invigorate – as with Activate, you’ll want to have a chair ready. Many of the exercises in this feature are standing, but there are some you will do seated as well. As with before, you’ll also want to use a ball or balloon and resistance band if you have them, as well as a stopwatch (you can use the stopwatch feature on your smartphone if you have one).
Lastly, the third level is Energize. Once again you’ll want a chair available, one sturdy enough to support you for some of the standing exercises. You’ll also want to have a stopwatch available, a ball or balloon, resistance band and agility ring. If you don’t have an agility ring handy, you can lay down tape on the floor to designate the area you’ll need. There are also exercises that require a partner in this session, so if you have a friend or loved one with you, have them join in!
The exercise programs at Prestige serve several purposes – not only is it for fitness and health, but they help with fall reduction as well. Falls are a leading cause of injury among seniors, and the impacts can extend to the mental health of seniors as well.
We encourage you to bookmark this page and come back often to run through the exercises again!
Contact the community nearest you to learn more about our fitness programs for seniors.