Reducing Falls and Accidents at Every Age

We all want to be as comfortable, healthy, and active as possible! Life is more fun when we feel well enough to enjoy our hobbies, careers and adventures shared with friends and family. As a personal fitness trainer one of my highest priorities is helping my clients learn how to avoid accidents and injuries whenever possible.

The first step to staying safer is to look at the circumstances of your personal situation and identify which habits could be leaving you more likely to have falls, accidents, injuries or stress-related illnesses.

Teens are notorious for being reckless and unaware of how dangerous certain activities might be. Ideally they can look for mentors they trust, even teachers, coaches or responsible peers who can help them make choices more skillfully.

Parents of small children tends to be sleep deprived which can leave them less efficient as they chase their children throughout the day. Perhaps they can find neighbors or friends who can help them watch their children more of the time, so they can rest and rejuvenate themselves.

Caregivers and people with challenging careers are often busy multi-tasking, their minds may be thinking of multiple tasks at once which can lead to accomplishing none of them as well as possible. It takes a bit of self discipline  at first, but if we learn to slow down and do one activity at a time, we actually can get more done while making fewer mistakes.

Anyone who has injuries, is sick, on medications, using alcohol or other drugs would be moving and thinking at less than an idea level. The key here is body awareness, we need to notice small signs that our reflexes are slower than normal and modify which challenges we attempt until we are feeling better.

Seniors may not be aware of changes that are happening slowly over time to their vision, hearing, thinking or agility which can leave them more at risk. As well, seniors may be resistant to using health sustaining tools that are available to them like: glasses, hearing aids, and perhaps a cane or walker. They can also benefit from strength and balance training to stay agile and keep their posture upright.

Some setbacks in life are just fate, and would happen anyway despite our best efforts. More often though, we can improve the quality how we are living by taking the best care possible of our bodies. Let's do what we can to enjoy the good times by staying as safe as possible! Have you ever had an accident that you realize later may have been avoided? Do you have any stories or advice to share with us?

Best wishes, Margo Rose

Margo Rose is a personal and group fitness trainer who specializes in Functional Fitness and Senior Wellness. She sees clients on an outcall basis in Alameda, Oakland, Orinda, Lafayette and Walnut Creek. For questions and comments she can be reached at:
www.FunctionalFitness4You.com