North Berkeley Senior Center
By: Chigozie Maduchukwu
Bone Health Initiative, a student-run organization at UC Berkeley, had the opportunity to participate at the Stepping Out Strong event hosted by American Bone Health, a non-profit organization partnered with BHI. Stepping Out Strong is an event that is designed to help seniors learn basic exercises that will help them improve bone strength so to prevent fractures.
BHI started off by passing out surveys asking the audience about their current bone health. The seniors were asked about how confident they were doing certain tasks, such as reaching for something on their toes, walking on a slippery surface, or not bumping into people. The range of responses collected from this survey revealed how despite being around the same age, , different lifestyles and circumstances can lead to different levels of bone health. The presentation was given after the survey was passed out.
Most of the information presented to these seniors was not exclusive to their age range. The tips were relevant to all ages. The two Peer Educatiors, Xammy Nguyenla and Emily Chen, encouraged the room to make sure they were sitting with a proper posture–sitting upright, shoulders rolled back, with neck looking toward the speaker. Though American Bone Health covers a wide variety of bone health topics, this event was primarily focused on teaching the seniors on how to prevent falls. This is because preventing falls means preventing fractures, which can help maintain one’s mobile way of life.
Though microfractures are common and occur daily, larger fractures in osteoporotic bones can lead to elongated healing, reduced or incapable mobility, more fractures, and pain. Falls are the #1 cause for hip fractures, as pointed out in the presentation.
BHI’s Peer Educators also were ready to answer and assist the seniors’ questions. A Spanish speaking woman spoke with Xammy about how to get the Spanish version of the presentation. Another man asked Emily where he could find oyster calcium supplements, which she advised him to look for pure calcium sources and explained why. Another man questioned about the benefits of swimming. Xammy explained that, though swimming had cardiovascular benefits, it was not a weight bearing exercise and thus does little to improve bone health. Afterwards, the two Peer Educators led the group in a discussion showing how leg strength leads to balance which prevents falls.
In all, the Stepping out Strong event gave our Peer Educators the opportunity to debunk some common myths on nutrition and exercise and to give information on simple exercises that can be done at home to improve leg strength.
