We’ve all seen the videos on YouTube, right? Parkour is a type of freestyle walking that involves pretty much anything but normal walking. People that partake in parkour run, jump, climb, and otherwise move around normal spaces in a very creative way. Some of the videos that are up online should never be replicated by anyone–they are far too dangerous to try on your own.
So how does this activity have anything to do with helping seniors live a safer life?
Some parkour trainers are realizing that the skills and moves that are behind parkour can effectively be used to help reduce risk when it comes to falling. And when the elderly are involved, reducing the likelihood or the damage behind a fall can literally save lives. Helping seniors to practice these skills isn’t just fun, it can help build muscle and teach seniors how to avoid injuries from a fall altogether.
The people that are behind the parkour training acknowledge that it might seem weird for seniors to be taking these classes. We often think of high energy, risky moves when we think of parkour. However, the people that developed the sport in Europe claim that there are almost always elderly people in their classes. While it might seem odd for seniors to participate in this sport, it’s not that strange after all.
The movements and strength that comes with practicing parkour may be able to help seniors reduce the risk and damage of a fall.
Falls are a very real problem for many seniors. Most falls are not problematic, but it takes just one bad fall, or some sort of co-occurring issue at work, to turn a normal fall into a life changing one. Avoiding falls altogether is a far better alternative than treating an injury. For example, if someone is living with undiagnosed or untreated osteoporosis, a fall could land that person in the hospital or a nursing home for the rest of their life because of the complications that could ensure. Awareness could reduce this risk. Now add in reducing the likelihood of a fall altogether, and seniors are even safer.
Now, parkour isn’t something that everyone should just start up with. If this is something that interests you, be sure to reach out to a local professional that is familiar with parkour for seniors. They will be able to give you more guidance and help you to get started in a safe and helpful way.
Each senior is unique and each individual that we work with has their own set of needs and goals when it comes to care. That’s the beauty of what we do–we have the ability to customize the care that’s given to help better suit the needs of the individual. Strength and balance are an important component of overall senior health–just one of many things necessary for an individual to live out their best life during their senior years.
If you’re interested in learning more about how in-home senior care can help you or a family member get more out of this time, let us know. We’d love to talk more during a completely free, no obligation, consultation session. Just let us know, and we’d be happy to get the ball rolling.
Leave a Reply