 Falls Prevention Awareness Week is September 18-22. Falls are the leading cause of injury related ER visits for older adults, the major cause of hip fractures and responsible for more than half of fatal head injuries. Below, the National Council on Aging shares 10 myths related to older adult falls.
After exploring these myths, the Shiawassee Family YMCA wants to remind you that we are here to help! Our Moving for Better Balance class is an evidence-based program that works to improve balance, muscle strength, flexibility and more. Myth 1: Falling happens to other people, not to me. Reality: Many people think, "It won't happen to me." But the truth is that 1 in 4 older adults fall every year in the U.S. Myth 2: Falling is something normal that happens as you get older. Reality: Falling is not a normal part of aging. Strength and balance exercises, managing your medications, having your vision checked and making your living environment safer are all steps you can take to prevent a fall. Myth 3: If I limit my activity, I won't fall. Reality: Some people believe that the best way to prevent falls is to stay at home and limit activity. Not true. Performing physical activities will help you stay independent, as your strength and range of motion benefit from remaining active. Social activities are also good for your overall health. Myth 4: If I stay home, I can avoid falling. Reality: Over half of all falls take place at home. Inspect your home for fall risks. Fix simple but serious hazards such as clutter, throw rugs and poor lighting. Make simple home modifications, such as adding grab bars in the bathroom, a second handrail on stairs and non-slip paint on outdoor steps. Myth 5: Muscle strength and flexibility can't be regained. Reality: While we do lose muscle as we age, exercise can partially restore strength and flexibility. It's never too late to start an exercise program. Even if you've been a "couch potato" your whole life, becoming active now will benefit you in many ways—including protection from falls. Myth 6: Taking medication doesn't increase my risk of falling. Reality: Taking any medication may increase your risk of falling. Medications affect people in many ways and can sometimes make you dizzy or sleepy. Be careful when starting a new medication. Talk to your health care provider about potential side effects or interactions of your medications. Myth 7: I don't need to get my vision checked every year. Reality: Vision is another key risk factor for falls. Aging is associated with some forms of vision loss that increase the risk of falling and injury. People with vision problems are more than twice as likely to fall as those without visual impairment. Have your eyes checked at lest once a year and update your eyeglasses. For those with low vision there are programs and assistive devices that can help. Ask your optometrist for a referral. Myth 8: Using a walker or can will make me more dependent. Reality: Walking aids are very important in helping many older adults maintain or improve their mobility. However, make sure you use these devices safely. Have a physical therapist fit the walker or cane to you and instruct you in its safe use.Myth 9: I don’t need to talk to family members or my health care provider if I’m concerned about my risk of falling. I don’t want to alarm them, and I want to keep my independence. Reality: Fall prevention is a team effort. Bring it up with your doctor, family and anyone else who can help. They want to help you maintain your mobility and reduce your risk of falling. Myth 10: I don’t need to talk to my parents, spouse, or other older adults if I’m concerned about their risk of falling. It will hurt their feelings, and it's none of my business. Reality: Let them know about your concerns and offer support to help them maintain the highest degree of independence possible. There are many things you can do, including removing hazards in the home, installing safety features like grab bars or walk-in bathtubs, finding a falls prevention program at the Y or setting up a vision exam.
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September is Childhood Obesity Awareness Month, and as children and families start their new school-year routines, it's a perfect time to reflect and refresh your family's healthy habits. As families settle into new school-year routines this month, the Shiawassee Family YMCA is offering tips to help Shiawassee County families incorporate healthy eating and physical activity into their lives.
 August is National Immunization Awareness Month. This annual observance highlights the importance of getting recommended vaccines throughout your life. As a community serving organization, the Shiawassee Family YMCA wants to remind you of the importance of routine vaccinations. During the month of August, we encourage you to talk to your doctor, nurse or healthcare provider to ensure you and your family are protected against serious diseases by getting caught up on routine vaccinations.
As your children head back to school this fall, it's particularly important for you to work with your child's doctor or nurse to make sure they get caught up on missed well-child visits and recommended vaccines. Remember to take care of yourself, too! Make sure you receive any vaccines you need to stay healthy. Use CDC's adult vaccine assessment tool to see which vaccines might be right for you. For more information on routine vaccinations at any stage in life, visit cdc.gov/vaccines.
As another summer winds down and a new school year is on the horizon, the Shiawassee Family YMCA wants to remind parents and caregivers that the Y's before & after school care programs are a place where children can remain active and engaged during their time out of school — a critical time for all school-age children. Below, we've listed five reasons your child should get involved with Y before & after school care once school starts!
Physical Activity The Y's after school programs combine learning with play. Each day, we provide physical activity which is vital to the overall health and wellbeing of every child in our program. Some physical activities include playground time, organized fitness activities, and a variety of sports. Healthy Eating Habits Teaching children the importance of nutrition and healthy eating is key to their success — both in and out of school. At Boxcar and The Learning Zone, we ensure that kids in our community are provided with healthy after school snacks any time they are in our care and are taught healthy eating habits. Academics, Arts & STEM The Y's before & after school programs help fill gaps in schools and communities where some academic and recreational activities may be limited. Kids can improve their study habits and reading skills; gain exposure to the arts; find a love for STEM activities and much more. Some of these activities include crafts, science experiments and language arts projects. Character Building Kids who attend Boxcar and Learning Zone demonstrate improvement in the values, skills, attitudes and behaviors needed for success in school and in life. Kids can achieve, feel a sense of belonging and explore new interests every time they attend one of our programs. Safety Standards It is vital that children have a safe, enriching environment for learning, both in and out of school. The Shiawassee Family YMCA and its partners, Durand Area Schools and Owosso Public Schools, uphold the highest level of safety standards. For more information on either of our Before & After School Care Programs, visit Durand Boxcar or The Learning Zone. As spring turns into summer, the Shiawassee Family YMCA wants to share four ways that summer camp can help give your child the experience of a lifetime.
Find Your Adventure Summer is a time for kids to explore and expand the limits of their imagination. At Camp Shiawassee, every day is a new adventure! Campers will travel through time during Time Traveler's week, explore Camp's ecosystem during Mad Science week, and go on an Amazing Race during Best of the Best week! Find Your Spark At Camp Shiawassee, kids discover hidden talents and passions they never knew they had. They may find they have amazing juggling skills during Circus week or mad fort building skills during Inside Outside Upside Down week or realize that they excel at water balloon dodgeball during Let's Get Wet week. Find Your Circle Camp Shiawassee provides kids with an experience they will never forget. Kids come away with new skills, confidence and friendships that broaden their perspectives and strengthen their character. Campers will work together to complete a quest during Imaginarium week and become a superhero that they invent during Movin' & Groovin' Superheroes week. Find Your Friends At Camp Shiawassee, kids will make new friends and have tons of fun as they explore new adventures each day! They'll make up Oompa-Loompa skits with their friends during Willy Wonka week and play the best old-fashioned games during Tom & Huck week. Find Your Y Find your adventure. Find your spark. Find your circle. Find your Friend. Find your Y. Visit shiawasseeymca.org to learn more or call us at 989-725-8136 to enroll your child in summer camp today! Throughout April, we've addressed the importance of understanding the Y's abuse prevention policies, recognizing red flags and boundary violations and how to talk with your children about abuse. Now, it's important that all parents and caregivers know how to respond to boundary violations and warning signs if children tell you about abuse. At the Y, we are mandated reporters, so we have procedures in place for responding and reporting suspected abuse. As a parent, you can follow these 5 steps:
Many parents and caregivers find speaking to their children about abuse to be uncomfortable. Framing these conversations around other safety conversations you have may help you work through some of that uncomfortableness. Below you'll find age-appropriate ways to talk to your child about boundaries and preventing abuse.
Young Children Parents can start these conversations simply by ensuring young children know the correct names for their body parts. Children who know the proper names are able to talk more clearly to parents or other adults if something inappropriate happens. As you're teaching body parent names, you can help your child learn that parts of their body are private and that only their parents/caregivers can see them. Don't forget to note that doctors may see them naked but only because you're there with the doctor! Teens As children grow older, it's key to keep lines of conversation open so that they feel comfortable talking to parents or trusted adults if something happens to them or a friend. Talk to your teens about their friends, the other adults in their lives, social media and electronic communication. They need to know to not accept requests from people they don't know, how to respond if someone (even a friend) asks them to send nude photos and that conversations online are never truly private. Continue the conversations about boundaries and what boundary violations look and feel like. Let them know that you are there to listen and support them. At the Y, creating safe spaces for youth to learn, grow and thrive is our top priority. Kids need a safe space now more than ever, and we take pride in the measures we've taken to help keep your kids safe. Here are some important tips for parents to know as we work together to keep kids safe from abuse.
Offenders seek three things in order to abuse: access, privacy and control. What does this mean for a parent?
By Dawn Jackson Blatner, RDN in partnership with Eggland's Best
Post a snack list on fridge Have a list posted on the fridge of available and healthy snacks so it's more likely everyone will choose those nourishing options when hunger hits. Snacks that have protein + produce are great options such as an Eggland's Best hard-cooked egg + cucumbers, nut butter + celery, cheese stick + apple, edamame + orange slices, or yogurt + berries. Play "Try It Tuesday" Trying new foods is such a great way to get a wide variety of nutrition and create more adventurous eaters. Make Tuesday the day each week to open everyone's mind & palate to try a new snack, a new side dish, a new recipe, or even just take a bite of a new fruit or veggie. Team up in the kitchen Cooking together makes it feel more fun and when kids play a role in prepping, they are more likely to enjoy the meal. Teaching kids how to cook is a valuable life skill that you can start teaching at any age, it's never too early or late. And bonus, the better kids get in the kitchen, the less work it ends up being for parents! Count the color on your plate One of the best ways to eat better is by adding more colorful fruits & veggies to meals and snacks. So have kids count the colors on their plate and the more colors the better. Take it to the next level and create a family chart to track the colors eaten through the week or month! Learn the superpowers of each food group Each food group does powerful things in your body. And when kids (and adults) focus on the superpower benefits of food, it becomes more meaningful and fun to choose nourishing options. For example:
Staying hydrated helps keep us healthy and energized. Keep a pitcher of water that's easy to see on the counter or in the fridge. And nearby have cups/water bottles and some slices of cucumbers, lemons, limes, oranges, mint, and/or berries so kids can create their own special flavor combos. Keeping water available and fun encourages the whole family to drink more of it. Give everyone their own day of the week To help make dinner a peaceful, complain-free zone, give each family member a day of the week that they pick what's for dinner. It makes planning easier and kids love having a say in what they are eating. Pro-tip: Even when kids ask for mac & cheese, chicken nuggets, or pizza, you can make those classics healthier by rounding out the meal with plenty of veggies. Make dinner a digital detox Enjoy meal time without phones, games, or TV. It creates more mindful meals and more connection and conversation. Need help coming up with what to talk about, read the next tip! Create a bowl of conversation starters Sometimes in can be difficult to come up with things to talk about at the dinner table, so write questions on pieces of paper, put them in a bowl, and each night grab one or two to help get the conversation flowing. Questions like "What was the best part of your day, What was funniest thing you heard/saw today, If you got one wish from a genie what would yours be?" In honor of Women's History Month, the Y is honored to commemorate and celebrate female figures within the history of the YMCA movement who were vital to the success and empowerment of all current and future women leaders in the Y.
Ellen Brown Ellen Brown was the first female YMCA employee in 1886 when she was hired to serve as the "boys work secretary." Brown taught a night class at the Y that grew so rapidly, it eventually became a whole department! Addie Hunton As part of the YMCA's massive World War I support effort, Addie Hunton was one of only three African American women assigned to serve over 200,000 segregated Black troops stationed in France. Hunton was also YWCA secretary for Black student work and vice president of the NAACP. Marguerite Cockett Marguerite Cockett graduated from Women's Medical College of Pennsylvania in 1905. In 1916, she bought a car and brought it to France where she worked as an ambulance driver under the American Fund for French Wounded. She spent three months in Serbia establishing a French-Serbian hospital and served on a hospital ship in the Mediterranean. In 1917, she established the first canteen under the YMCA American Expeditionary Forces. Winifred Colton Fighting to improve the status of women in the YMCA, Winifred Colton began her extensive YMCA career as women's and girls' work secretary at the YMCA of Metro Chicago. In 1957, the YMCA's National Council's statement of purpose no longer applied to "males only," and Colton became the first woman professional on the national staff. Xinia Brenes Jenkins One of the founding members of the San Jose YMCA, Xinia Brenes Jenkins was deeply involved in the Costa Rican Catholic youth movement. The Latin American Confederation of YMCAs reached out to Jenkins for her assistance in instituting a national Costa Rican YMCA. Jenkins's work for the Costa Rican YMCA focused on providing programs for refugees, relief for those affected by housing shortages, and offering vocational skills training for women and agricultural skills training for Costa Rican natives. Violet P. Henry After holding various executive leadership roles in the Newark and Chicago YMCAs, in 1976, Violet P. Henry became the first woman to be named to a top management position at the Y's national office. She provided leadership for numerous national and international commissions and committees that worked for the rights of women and people of color. Wilhelmina "Willie" Aveling Wilhelmina "Willie" Aveling began her YMCA career as a physical director in Atlantic City. In 1933, she joined the staff of the Chicago Metropolitan YMCA to find ways to improve programs for women and girls. For the next 28 years, she helped develop policies and recruit women leaders within the YMCA movement. She was the first woman to be inducted into the YMCA National Hall of Fame. Suzanne McCormick In 2021, Suzanne McCormick became the first woman to serve as CEO of the YMCA of the USA. Visit the YMCA Archives to learn more about the history of women leadership in the YMCA. |
