Seniors Encouraged to Remain Active to Reduce Falls

Shape Up campaign starts in mid-September

Eighty years old and very active! Doris, a woman who needs a cane to walk, goes to the North Bellevue Community Center to get her daily dose of physical activity in the Nintendo Wii bowling class or an Enhance Fitness exercise class. Doris knows she has to stay physically active to have a healthy and independent lifestyle, while reducing her risk from a debilitating fall. 

"The best way to reduce falls is to be physically active," said Karen Lewis, Program Director, Comprehensive Health Education Foundation, and partner with the Healthy Aging Partnership organization.

Lewis adds, "When seniors choose activity programs that build strength, balance and flexibility, they significantly reduce their chances of experiencing a fall."

The Shape Up campaign is a great way for older adults to get plugged into free and low-cost community activity programs!

The goal of the Shape Up campaign is to reduce falls in older populations through engagement in physical activity. The campaign kicks off with a series of health fairs to educate seniors on how to stay physically active:

• September 10: North Bellevue Community Center and Burien Senior Community Center
• September 17: Northshore Senior Center 
• September 26: Bitter Lake Community Center 

These four community centers are also offering a $10 discount with a Shape Up flyer or ad for seniors on any of their group physical activity classes. Some of the classes being offered include Gold Zumba, Wii Bowling, Yoga, Aerobics, Line Dancing, and Enhance Fitness. Click here to download and print a copy of the flyer. Flyers can also be found at community centers, and ads are appearing in community newspapers.

"I'm the type of guy that needs to take a group class, because I like the social atmosphere and at the same time it improves my balance and keeps me in good shape," said Ed, who is 76 years old and walks daily.

Taking part in physical activity three to five times a week can help reduce the risk for a fall. According to the Emergency Medical Services Division at Public Health-Seattle & King County, falls have a significant impact on older populations:

• Fall-related events comprised 17.4% of King County Emergency Medical Services responses among persons 65 years and older in 2008.
• About one-third of community-dwelling persons older than 65 years of age experience a fall each year, and most of these falls are in the home setting.  Furthermore, 10 to 15% of these events result in serious injury, and half of these serious injuries are fractures.
• For elderly persons who suffer hip fracture, half require hospital discharge to a nursing home and more than a quarter die in the year following the injury.

The Shape Up campaign is organized by the Emergency Medical Services Division of Public Health - Seattle & King County and sponsored by Soundview Medical Supplies and the Healthy Aging Partnership.

For more information about the Shape Up campaign, call Alan Abe at (206) 296-0202, visit the website at www.4elders.org, or contact a community center: North Bellevue Community Center (425) 452-7681, Burien Senior Community Center (206) 988-3700, Northshore Senior Center (425) 487-2441 and Bitter Lake Community Center (206) 233-7138. 

Providing effective and innovative health and disease prevention services for over 1.9 million residents and visitors of King County, Public Health – Seattle & King County works for safer and healthier communities for everyone, every day. More at www.kingcounty.gov/health.