Muscle strength starts to decline 1% per year after 40 years if one is sedentary.  Balance decline begins somewhere between 40 to 50 years of age. The good news is that physical activity at any age not only improves physical strength and balance, but also improves sleep, boosts immune responses, and fosters better mental health and general well-being.

JFS Geriatric Care Manager Laila Vehvilainen did an in-home safety check, a balance assessment and then development a balance training plan. The client completed a 1:1 in-home training for 6 weeks and afterwards felt more stable and steadier on her feet.

“I can’t believe my balance has gotten much better.  I thought it was going to be all downhill” said the 72-year-old JFS’ Allies in Aging Geriatric Care Management client.

Recent research from the National Report on Healthy Aging found that 1 in 4 older adults feel that they are less steady on their feet and unsure of their balance. Many feel older adults feel deconditioned, meaning that they are feeling less energy, reduced strength and balance. Some of reported concerns about balance are remnants of the pandemic with less moving and more sedentary activities.  More than a third of people between the ages of 50 and 80 reported that their physical activity declined during the pandemic, and more than a quarter say they are in worse physical condition now than before the pandemic, many of these adults also reported an increased fear of falling.

Click here if you or your loved-one are interested in in-home safety and/or in-home balance training and would like to contact a Geriatric Care Manager!