Team University of Dayton Engineering & Safety Lab No. 23:Change Up Your Routine

 Our bodies really benefit from different types of activities. You should regularly include endurance, strength, balance, and flexibility exercises in your routine.

Endurance activities increase your breathing and heart rate. These help improve your overall health and fitness, making daily activities like climbing stairs or mowing the lawn much easier. Try going for a swim or taking a long walk in one of Dayton’s Metroparks.

Strength exercises increase muscle strength. Even small improvements can make a big difference in your ability to perform everyday tasks like carrying shopping bags or hauling your suitcase around the airport. You can use weights or resistance bands for these exercises.

Balance practice can help prevent falls (but you already knew that!). Some lower body strength exercises also help improve your balance. Tai chi is one example of a balance exercise, and check out our recurring feature called “Balance Tune-Up” for more.

Flexibility exercises, or stretches, can help your body stay flexible. Stretching gives you freedom of movement so you can do things like bending down to tie your shoes or looking over your shoulder as you back out of the driveway. Yoga is a great example.  Be creative!

Virtual Team Parkinson's Research: Fall Prevention Research!

Team Captain Dr. Jack Harless

We currently have 16 members.  This week we highlighted a current research  project on fall prevention currently beginning at our very own University of Dayton.

University of Dayton: Sock Assist Program!

Ken Bloemer, who is the Director of the innovation center in the school of engineering at the University of Dayton, led his engineering students to design better sock assistance methods for senior adults.

Team University of Dayton Engineering & Safety Lab No. 21: What to Discuss with Your Doctor

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Asking your doctor questions about your health, and particularly balance, can be a difficult task. Reasons for this could range from nervousness to uncertainty in questions you should ask. Balance is a serious issue that has a drastic effect on the quality of life. Because of this, we have a list of potential topics that can affect balance that you and your physician can discuss at your next appointment.

1. Your history of falling and all medications you take

2. Gait and balance difficulties

3. Vision

4. Lower body strength

5. Cardiovascular conditions

6. Review your use of walking aids, such as canes and walkers

After you address any concerns you might have about balance, your doctor can help review and examine the topics that are listed to determine your everyday stability and risk of falling. Asking about these topics is important if you are experiencing trouble with balance because your doctor may make recommendations for preventing future falls

Team University of Dayton Engineering & Safety Lab No. 20: Winter Fall Prevention

8 Winter Fall Prevention Tips (January)

 All the snow and ice we get here in Dayton can make for some dangerous conditions.  We have some tips to keep your feet under you this winter.

1.  Check your footwear.  Do your shoes have good traction?  Rubber stays grippy in cold weather while other materials become harder and more slippery. 

2.  Keep your shovel and salt inside. If you have to walk on an icy walkway to get to your shovel and salt, they aren’t helping you. 

3.  Bring a cell phone.  If you fall, it can sometimes be hard to get up.  A cell phone can bring peace of mind.

4.  Take it slow.  Hurrying challenges your body’s balance just as much as ice. 

5.  Check the railings.  Make sure your railings  are sturdy.  If you slipped, could they support you?

6.  Ask for help.  If you have to walk across an icy parking lot or sidewalk, don’t be afraid to ask for a steady arm to lean on. 

 7.  Have a plan.  When you’re going out ask yourself, “If I slipped and fell here, what would I do?”

8.  Strengthen your legs.  Strong leg muscles can help you steady yourself if you slip.  And if you do fall, they make it a lot easier to get back up.  When used together, these simple things can make this winter a little less daunting.               

Team University of Dayton Engineering & Safety Lab No. 18: VA-PAMAID Robotic Walker!

A few researchers had a brilliant idea that a walker could be much more than a device that can help someone keep their balance. This walker of the future does everything a regular walker does but it can also locate itself by reading signs, spot and avoid small objects in its walking path, and prevent collisions with large objects.


How does it do this? It uses ultrasonic sensors to virtually map out its surroundings, basically the same thing we do with our eyes when we want to walk somewhere. It detects obstacles and then does its best to navigate around them.

As of right now, this walker is called the VA-PAMAID, and it is still in the testing period. It has been determined to be very safe, and can accommodate all weather conditions. It has a range of 10.9km with a maximum speed of 1.2m/s. Research is still being conducted in order to make improvements. An example of a possible improvement is a GPS system that has a map of an institution such as a senior center so it can navigate through complicated hallways and corridors with ease. So be on the lookout for the release of this product in the future!

“The SmartCane System.” UCLA. 2011. www.cs.ucla.edu/~alireza/BodyNets08.pdf

Team It's Great in Dayton: Charlie Campbell's Update

Ice Books
These are her latest strategy for engaging with the environment's most precious and mutable resource, water. She'll be engaged in working on ice books and more during a residency at the University of Dayton September 10-14.

Team Events: Father's Day Brunch!

The guest speaker for the Father's Day brunch was the head coach for the U.D Football Team; Rick Chamberlin!

Team Leisure and Fun: New Horizon Band!

University of Dayton's New Horizon Band entertained the residents providing an entire evening of

Fun and Function!

Team Memoirs: Christmas and New Year's Celebration!

This team led by Mary Sikora of UD always has fun as they share their writing creativity and fellowship!

Team University of Dayton Engineering & Safety Lab No. 7: Non-slip Products

At just $2.99 a pair,

these replacement tips
are a great way to
reduce fall risk

The incidence of falls in the home can be greatly reduced with the use of nonslip products. Thankfully, slip-resistant solutions are being created. These products include non-slip mats to be used under rugs and bathroom. New additions often do more than just decrease the likelihood of losing your footing.

There are brightly colored mats with treads for the stairs that better indicate where one step ends and the next begins. The easiest, most inexpensive solution we found are small rubber feet you can be attach to the end of canes and walkers to increase grip.

One of the latest products is a coating that can be used on bath tubs and hard floors to make them less slippery. They are easy to apply and essentially invisible once dry. Overall, the market for non -slip products has greatly expanded and a little research, along with a few modifications to your home, can decrease your risk of falling.

- Julia Schaeffer

Team University of Dayton Engineering & Safety Lab No. 6: Biomechanics

The Engineering Wellness and Safety Lab (EWSL) is a biomechanics lab. But what does “biomechanics” mean? To understand biomechanics, it is useful to break the word into two parts: “bio” means anything that is living, and “mechanics” is the study of motion and its causes. From the combination of these two, we discover that biomechanics is the study of how different forms of life move. This type of movement can be anything from how a person walks, to how a fish swims, or even how an insect flies. However, in the Engineering Wellness and Safety Lab, the focus is solely on the movement of humans. Biomechanics can be used in all areas of life to improve athletic performance, predict falls in elderly adults, assist in the injury recovery process, learn more about the human body, and much more. Some recent biomechanical studies that we have conducted are the study of how groceries bags affect balance, creating standards for balance testing, and a flight simulator study. Biomechanics reveals much about how the human body works. - Chris Denzinger

Team University of Dayton: Balance Workshop!

Many people from our campus and the surrounding community attended the balance workshop sponsored by the Balance and Engineering department of the University of Dayton!

Team University of Dayton Engineering & Safety Lab No. 5: Q & A on Balance

This interview comes from the AGS Foundation for Health in Aging.

Q: How common are falls and balance problems in older persons?

A: Each year, falls occur in over a third of persons over age 65. The risk increases in frequency and severity after age 75.

Q: What are major causes of falls?

A: The most common causes of falls include environmental hazards (such as slippery floors and loose rugs), weak muscles, unstable balance, dizziness, vision problems, and side effects from medications.

Q: How can I tell if I am at risk for falling?

A: The most important predictors of fall risk include: muscle weakness (difficulty rising from a chair), unsteady balance (needing to walk slowly or with a wide base of support), a fall in the past year, and taking some blood pressure medications and antidepressants.

Q: How can I decrease my chances of falling?

A: Your doctor can evaluate your strength, balance, gait and entire medication list. Together, you may decide to adjust medications, start physical therapy or use a cane or walker to make walking safer.

Q: How can I improve my balance?

A: There are a number of exercises and assistive devices that can improve stability. Ask your doctor what would be best for you. -Erin Sutton

Team University of Dayton Engineering & Safety Lab No. 4: What to Discuss with Your Doctor!

Asking your doctor questions about your health, and particularly balance, can be a difficult task. Reasons for this could range from nervousness to uncertainty in questions you should ask. Balance is a serious issue that has a drastic effect on the quality of life. Because of this, we have a list of potential topics that can affect balance that you and your physician can discuss at your next appointment.

1. Your history of falling and all medication that you take

2. Gait and balance difficulties

3. Vision

4. Lower body strength

5. Cardiovascular conditions

6. Review your use of walking aids, such as canes and walkers

After you address any concerns you might have about balance, your doctor can help review and examine the topics that are listed to determine your everyday stability and risk of falling. Asking about these topics is important if you are experiencing trouble with balance because your doctor may make recommendations to treat future falls.

Deborah Kinor

Team:University of Dayton Engineering Wellness & Safety Lab No 3: Quick and Easy Balance Exercise!

This month’s exercise is perfect for building up leg strength.

Safety: Have a sturdy chair or person nearby to hold on to if you feel unsteady. Talk with your doctor if you are unsure about doing a particular exercise.

Stand on one foot behind a sturdy chair, holding on for balance.

Hold position for up to 10 seconds.

Repeat 10-15 times for each leg

Repeat 10-15 more times with each leg.

Advanced: Try holding on with one finger or let go of the chair.

Team:University of Dayton Engineering Wellness & Safety Lab No 2: Prevent Falls at Home

There are many hazards throughout any household that can increase the risk of falling, which can lead to serious injuries. We have some helpful tips to keep you standing tall.

Check all floors throughout your home. Make sure that all pathways in your home aren’t being obstructed by furniture, small objects, or cords. Also secure any rugs that might cause you to slip.

Clear stairways around the entire house. All steps should be well lit and be cleared of objects such as shoes or books. Keep the stairs and railings in good condition.

Keep the kitchen tidy and organized. Organize your kitchen so that regularly used items aren’t on high shelves. If objects are out of reach use something sturdy, like a step ladder, that has a handle to hold on to.

Check all bathrooms. Use a rubber mat to cover any slippery surfaces like the tub or floor. Also, have someone install a railing to grab onto when getting into or out of the bathtub.

Keep bedrooms lit. Have a light near your bed that is easy to reach. Also, make sure the pathway from your bed to the bathroom is well lit by a night light.

Other tips. Prevent falling by increasing your strength which can be done through regularly exercising. Ask a doctor or pharmacist if you are on any medications that can cause dizziness. Have your vision checked regularly. Also, wear shoes both outside and inside your house. Rachael Johanek

Team:University of Dayton Engineering Wellness & Safety Lab Reporting In!

We all know that exercise can help reduce fall risk. But could listening to piano music while you work out improve your sense of balance? A recent study suggests that it can!

Researchers in Switzerland recruited 134 adults over 65 who were at high risk of falling. For six months, half took a weekly hour-long class that focused on balance. They worked out while listening to piano music, changing movements in response to rhythm changes. The other half of the participants continued their regular activities for the six-month test. Then the two groups switched.

Those who worked out to the music improved their gait and had longer and more stable strides. Overall, the music-exercising adults experienced half as many falls as the control group. When the control group started working out with the music, they gained the same balance benefits.

-Erin Sutton

Vocational Wellness: Peter Losh- Art Show at UD

Lifelong artist Peter Losh displays 40 years of work at the University of Dayton's Rike Gallery. Work spans watercolor, oil, acrylic, and mixed media with a showing of over 50 pieces of magnificent work!