Fall prevention: how simple exercises can help seniors avoid injury and even death
- Falls are the second leading cause of accidental or unintentional injury deaths worldwide, with most occurring in adults aged 65 or older
- Simple exercises, including sit-stand training and tiptoeing exercises, can make a significant difference, but often seniors don’t know where to start
If you want to spend longer living at home as the years pass rather than moving to a care home, exercise professional Geoffrey Bland offers a key piece of advice: get physically active.
“Taking the first step can always be stressful – particularly for senior relatives who have no prior experience of exercise or even being in a gym,” he says. “[For family members], accompanying your relative to the gym or a clinic can help ease their anxiety or stress and help them get stronger and more stable.”
Born and raised in Hong Kong, Bland moved to Australia to complete a bachelor’s degree in exercise science and a master’s in exercise physiology.
As his experience grew, he became more engaged in the geriatric community, developing strength and balance training programmes for seniors to help them take control of their mobility and avoid injury.
Since returning to Hong Kong, Bland has been dividing his time between the geriatric community and other clients. He finds fall-prevention work especially rewarding. He recalls in particular being approached last November by someone seeking to help her mother improve her strength and mobility, and reduce the likelihood of her taking a potentially damaging tumble.