Staying strong & steady
If You Can Do These 3 Things After 60, You Are Less Likely to Fall
Educational only, not medical advice. Talk to your own doctor, nurse practitioner or pharmacist. In an emergency, call 911.
What this video covers
Your fall risk after 60 can change for months before you notice. In this video, Nurse Ade walks you through three simple home tests, the same ones clinics use, that can show your risk in about five minutes, safely, in your own living room. It is for adults over 60 and the families who worry about them.
She starts with safety: who should be with you and where to stand. Test one is the 30-second chair stand from the CDC’s STEADI program, with target numbers by age. Test two is the four-stage balance test, which shows why strong legs do not always mean good balance. Test three is the Timed Up and Go, where the turn can catch what the other tests miss. Then you will learn what to do with your numbers and what to bring to your doctor: your medicines, your eyes and bifocals, your blood pressure when you stand, and your home. Nurse Ade also explains why moving less after a scare can set up the next fall, and how physical therapy helps.
Key points
- Safety first: who should be with you and where to stand
- Test 1: the 30-second chair stand, with CDC target numbers by age
- Test 2: the 4-stage balance test, and why strong legs do not mean good balance
- Test 3: the Timed Up and Go, and why the turn catches what the others miss
- What to do with your numbers: medicines, eyes and bifocals, blood pressure when you stand, and your home
- Why moving less after a scare can set up the next fall, and how physical therapy helps
Chapters
- 0:00 The Silent Warning Signs of Aging
- 2:37 Testing Your Leg Strength at Home
- 5:47 Checking Your Balance and Stability
- 8:35 The Ultimate Test for Your Movement
- 10:10 What to Do With Your Test Results
