Preventing falls in the elderly

Exercise programs have been found to reduce falls in the elderly. In a study published in 2009, only 8 weeks of exercise training 3 times/week (including calistinics, muscle power, body balance, and walking training ) decreased the incidence of falls in the elderly population by 12% (Iwamoto, et al., 2009). In only 5 weeks, a study utilizing the Nijmegen Falls Prevention Program was able to reduce the incidence of falls in the elderly by 46%. The class met twice a week and the program focused on balance and coordination movements as well as walking lessons and obstacle avoidance (Weerdesteyn, et al., 2006). The purpose of this project was to determine whether 45 minutes of chair aerobics twice a week could improve fall risk assessment scores in the elderly.