A Little Spring Cleaning and Fall Prevention

Easter décor is so beautiful, but it’s hard for me to separate that out in my mind from the necessity of spring cleaning.  Which I don’t enjoy.

I also don’t enjoy falling and have a little information about that here too.

There is not quite as much free time this year as last for me to devote two full days to cleaning baseboards, transom window sills and door tops.

I’m sure sooner or later I will get to it all.  Maybe it will still be spring.  Who knows?

But.  I did get out the bucket and cleaning supplies (and an old beach towel to roll under my old knees) and I got my office and two guest baths done.

My office is a small room, but it also serves as my nail salon, gym, guest room, home décor storage and cat playroom.  That’s a lot of stuff that gets used pretty regularly and I need to keep it tidy and organized, or BOOM!  It’s such a mess I can’t find anything.  And someone could actually get hurt.

Even under my desk was a big mess.  And yes, I cracked my head on the drawer for the 100^th time when I crawled under there.  Ugh.

And above my desk?  I’ve just been tacking any ol’ thing on my bulletin board so I took the opportunity to tidy that up.

I don’t recommend this for a nice or new rug, but the cream rug in my office is pretty old and pretty impossible to clean.  We rolled it up, took it out on the patio and John used the Bissell rug cleaner and then rinsed it with the hose.  After about 24 hours drying over a wall, it really looked beautiful.

You can probably spot Roxy helping with yet another chore in this house.

On top of my squeaky clean office floors, everything is back in its place and I have no energy to tackle any other rooms just yet.

Fitness and Fall Prevention

DF Cindy is the consummate fitness professional.  I’ve shared some of her exercise videos here before.  She is so dedicated to her classes that she has continued teaching this year via Zoom and posts links weekly so her devotees can continue to work out with her.

Cindy is among some elite instructors presenting at the Active Aging Summit this year.  I really wish it was an ANTI aging summit.  Where do we go for that?

The ABCs of Fall Prevention is her topic.  For those of us in healthcare, or for those of us aging, we know the importance of preventing a fall.  Did you know that falls are considered a sentinel event in a hospital?  It is really a very serious subject and Cindy, the ultimate professional, has put together quite an impressive didactic and practical demonstration course designed to get participants up and practicing the exercises and drills together.

ABC stands for agility, balance and coordination.  Cindy shows the interrelation and how a training program can improve and recover balance before a fall occurs.

Cindy’s Training Strategies:

1. Ankle Strategy (FLEXIBILITY / STRENGTH) • Low intensity, varying speed dorsiflexion • ROM exercises

2. Hip/Knee Strategy (POWER / STRENGTH) • Squat with arm raise (down 1, up 3) • Intensity options • Varying speeds (slow for strengthening and ROM; fast for power)

3. Stepping Response (AGILITY / SPEED) • Varying speeds • Rapid step-out lunges (anterior, posterior, lateral) • Weigh shift frontal and sagittal • Ankle/hip ROM (stepping out of comfort zone)

4. Balance Response (BALANCE) • Static • Dynamic (movement, then stop and hold) — 90 degree hopping drill

5. Reach & Grasp Response (COORDINATION / SPEED) • Varying speeds (slow for strengthening, fast for reaction) • Upper Extremity load (strengthening)

Cindy has been kind enough to share her lecture notes, so if you’re interested please let me know and I can share with you too.

Thank you for continuing to take this journey with me.  Probably none of us have had the year we wanted and most of us a making the best of what we have.  I thank God daily for blessings which include you!