About 5,000 seniors in Canada die or are injured annually in falls. Thousands of older adults who either fall or worry about falling because of decreased mobility and balance. New research suggests the fear of taking a tumble can be just as debilitating as the real thing. The fear of falling can be nearly as debilitating as an actual tumble, suggests research at the University of Lethbridge in southern Alberta. The apprehension affects how older adults carry themselves and limits the activities they feel comfortable with.
Movement slows down, steps become smaller, the body becomes more rigid.
People don't want to go outside because they don't want to risk losing their balance, but if they don't go outside, they're not going to have the opportunity . . The ability to balance does deteriorate with age, but falls don't have to be an inevitable consequence of growing older. The key is exercise , said Prof. Jochen Bocksnick, who runs the activity classes that are part of the balance study. Bocksnick and Brown have worked with more than 80 individuals, ranging in age from 60 to 89, as part of their three-year study. Participants are tested for their balancing skills to establish a baseline.