Dutchess County Office for the Aging’s
AGING NEWS
For the week of November 29th
REMOTE “A MATTER OF BALANCE” CLASSES
For seniors, a fall is the incident that most often leads to a rapid decline in quality of life – but falls are not an inevitable part of aging. The fear of falling can be just as dangerous as falling itself, because restricting physical activity out of fear of falling is a sure recipe for both physical and mental decline – including even more falls.
Statistics show that in any given year, one in three adults over 65 will fall at least once, with the risk of a fall increasing with age. By age 80, the risk increases to one in two. In Dutchess County, falls account for more than half of all emergency room visits.
You have the power to reduce your risk of falling.
The Office for the Aging is now taking applications for the remote version of its “A Matter of Balance” classes, to be held during the winter months. The in-person version of “A Matter of Balance” is expected to return in the spring of 2022.
Available in Dutchess County since 2015, “A Matter of Balance” is an award winning, research-based program aimed at helping older adults reduce their risks for falling.
The classes help participants in many ways, including how to:
- view falls and fear of falling as controllable;
- set realistic goals for increasing activity; and
- change their environment to reduce risk factors for falls.
The program is comprised of eight weekly sessions, and promotes exercise to increase strength and balance. Thirty minutes of exercise are included in each two-hour class, beginning with the third session. Those most likely to benefit from “A Matter of Balance” include older adults who are concerned about falls; have fallen before; restrict activities because of concerns about falling; are interested in improving flexibility, balance and strength; and who are at least age 60, ambulatory and able to problem-solve.
Class applications are available at www.dutchessny.gov/aging, by email at ofa@dutchessny.gov, or by calling the Office for the Aging at 845-486-2555. Callers should request an application for “A Matter of Balance.” Each session is limited to 14 participants.
In the meantime, here are a few simple tips to reduce your risk of falling at home:
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- Clear your floors of tripping hazards like boxes and electrical cords;
- If you need a step stool to reach a commonly used household item on a shelf, move that item to a lower shelf;
- Move coffee tables, ottomans and plant stands away from high-traffic areas;
- Clean up spills right away, especially if they’re greasy or oily;
- Repair any loose carpeting or floorboards;
- Make sure your bathtub includes a non-skid mat, and perhaps grab bars and/or a bath seat;
- Light your living spaces well, especially your bedroom, bathrooms, hallways, and stairs, using two-bulb fixtures when possible.
- Have flashlights available in multiple strategic locations in the event of power outages.
Find more information about all of OFA’s exercise-class options at dutchessny.gov/seniorexercise. We’ll have more to share in next week’s issue.
Golden Living is prepared by the Dutchess County Office for the Aging, 114 Delafield St., Poughkeepsie, New York 12601, telephone 845-486-2555, email: ofa@dutchessny.gov website: www.dutchessny.gov/aging
FREE VIRTUAL NARCAN TRAINING
The Dutchess County Department of Behavioral and Community Health (DBCH) will host free virtual training in naloxone (Narcan), which can reverse the effects of an opioid overdose, for residents on Tuesday, December 14th and Wednesday, December 22nd. All trainings run from 4:30-5:30 p.m.
Residents will learn what to do when an opioid overdose is suspected; and how and when to give someone Narcan. They’ll also learn how to receive a free Narcan kit. To register, email llevine@dutchessny.gov or call 845-243-4428.
Other aging news online:
Healthy holiday recipes from the Harvard School of Public Health: https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/healthy-holiday-cooking_recipes/
Are future seniors ready to live to be 100? https://longevity.stanford.edu/the-new-map-of-life-report/
This week in senior birthdays:
11/29: Retired Hall of Fame sportscaster Vin Scully (Brooklyn/LA Dodgers) (94)
Here’s his Twitter feed: https://twitter.com/TheVinScully?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor
11/30: Actor/singer Mandy Patinkin (69)
12/1: Singer/actress/songwriter Bette Midler (76)
12/2: Novelist T.C. Boyle (73)
12/3: NASCAR Hall of Famer Bobby Allison (84)
12/4: Game show host Wink Martindale (88)
12/5: Novelist Joan Didion (87)
Of course there’s a Bad Joke at the end of it all. Two, in fact! This one’s for the scientists and researchers in the crowd:
There are two types of people in the world: those who can extrapolate conclusions from incomplete data,
And here’s the mathematicians’ version of that Bad Joke:
There are 10 types of people in the world: those who understand binary numbers and those who don’t.
