A class geared toward fall prevention for Green River seniors will start later this month.
Starting March 14, the Golden Hour Senior Center will begin a 10-week-long class called Better, Balance, Training. This class is open to all seniors and the center is currently looking for class members. GHSC activities coordinator Megan Brown encourages seniors to sign up for the class.
“It’s better to take the full 10 weeks, but anybody’s welcome to show up,” Brown said.
The classes are based on Tai Chi, which Brown learned last October at a Tai Chi Teacher Training program the Wyoming Department of Health hosted with the Center for Disease Control.
According to the CDC’s website, one out of every five falls causes a serious injury, including broken bones or head injuries.
National estimates of the top 10 leading causes of nonfatal treatment at the emergency room show unintentional falls are the major reason reason for ER visits in all but one of the age groups listed on the chart. The exception is the 15-24 age group, as that group’s No. 1 reason for ER visits was unintentional strike by or against an object. Even though the stats are high for every age group, it is the senior citizens who seem to have the biggest injuries.
The CDC website states more than 95 percent of hip fractures are caused by people falling. Women, who are more likely to suffer from osteoporosis, are more likely to have a hip injury. In fact, women experience 3/4 of all hip fractures.
The CDC’s website also states, about 2.5 million older people are treated for falls at the ER. Medical costs can quickly add up after a fall occurs. The direct medical costs for fall injuries are $34 billion a year. Of that $34 billion, hospital costs make up 2/3 of the total.
With these startling statistics in mind, the GHSC employees wanted to find a way to help the seniors they see every day.
This is why the center is offering three times for the class. The first will take place on Mondays at 2 p.m. at the Green River High School Aquatics Center, the second class will be on Wednesdays at 10:30 a.m. at the GHSC, and the third will take place on Fridays at 2 p.m. at the GHSC.
Seniors can sign up for one or all three classes if they like, Brown said. Those who are taking the class at the aquatics center can take advantage of the senior-only therapy-pool time slot, which is Mondays through Fridays from 2-3 p.m. Brown said they can visit the aquatics center during this time to practice their BBT moves or just to enjoy the therapy pool.
“Hopefully we can get people,” Brown said. “I’ll be super sad if no one shows up.”
Brown said the class at the aquatics center is nice because it will take place in the therapy pool, which has its benefits.
“It gets all of the weight off of the bones,” Brown said.
The reason the CDC is getting behind these classes and others like them is how much it really does help the person. Based on data collected from previous courses, taking a BBT class can decrease one’s chance of falling by 50 percent.
The classes teach attendees how to get more comfortable moving and what to do and what not to do when they fall to avoid injuries.
“We don’t want any of them in the hospital,” Brown said. “It’s keeping them healthy longer.”
Brown must also collect data from the class. During the first class, Brown will test each attendee to see where they are at. At the end of the 10-week class, Brown will test the individuals again to see how they have improved. This data will be passed on to the CDC.
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