SCORE Luncheon Remarks

Backyard Pool To International Recognition

 

Betty Perkins-Carpenter

Noon, Friday, Decemer 12, 2008
Oak Hill Country Club

 

As part of her talk to SCORE, Betty Perkins-Carpenter discussed her work to reduce deaths and injuries from falls, an epidemic among seniors.

Traumatic brain injuries due to falls caused nearly 8,000 deaths from unintentional falls, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports.

Falls resulted in 56,000 hospitalizations in 2005 among Americans 65 or older. The CDC, which recently declared seniors falling a national epidemic, also reports that every 35 minutes an older American dies as the result of a fall, and every 18 seconds an older adult is treated in emergency for a fall.

While these statistics are alarming for seniors and their families, there are steps that can be taken to reduce injury.

The Journal of American Geriatrics Society reports that exercises reduce the number of fall-related injuries by 35 percent.

Dr. Betty Perkins-Carpenter, author of "How to Prevent Falls: Better Balance, Independence and Energy in 6 Simple Steps", teaches seniors six steps they can take to reduce injuries and fears associated with falling.

She offers these tips to greatly reduce the chances of falling:

1) Stretching In Bed: "Stretching is key to flexibility and mobility because it creates warmth in our muscles and ligaments. Warm muscles function better than cold ones."

2) Practice Your Balance: "Balance is the basis for all movement. Good balance promotes better posture, increased confidence, leg strength and overall stability."

3) Bounce A Ball: "Improve your balance and dexterity by bouncing a ball. Constantly repositioning the body keeps it naturally aware of its surroundings. This means that you will see curbs more accurately, height of steps, and environmental obstacles. Plus, bouncing a ball is fun!"

4) Walking While Talking On The Phone: "An everyday activity, this exercise focuses on dual tasks and involves both hemispheres of the brain to improve balance."

5) The Slump (formerly known as the "10 Martini Slump"): "Every time you sit down to watch television practice the art of falling with a relaxed slump into a comfortable chair and at nighttime into your bed. You thereby reduce the fear of falling by becoming an expert in falling. People who have practiced slumping don't resist when they fall and they reduce their likelihood of a fracture."

6) Dancing With Your Pillow: "Using a pillow as a dancing partner brings about a positive and significant impact on reducing falls and the debilitating injuries they cause. Dancing develops strong muscles, improves flexibility, coordination, agility and balance. Dancing also strengthens muscles sometimes not used in other activities because of the movement in different directions and with varying speeds."

 

Read more details about Betty's life and research.