Bellefonte Presbyterian Church, USA

Wellness Ministry:  Moderator – Tonya Walker

Welcome to the Bellefonte Wellness Ministry !!  

Here you will find health and wellness tips for your mind, body and spirit.  This month's feature involves senior wellness, so let's incorporate as many of these tips as possible, so we can be the whole vessel God intends for us to be.  Be well !!

OSTEOPOROSIS
 
Osteoporosis is a disease in which the bones become weak and are more likely to break.  People with osteoporosis most often break bones in the hip, spine and wrist.

Who Gets Osteoporosis?
In the United States, 10 million people have osteoporosis.  Millions more have low bone mass (called osteopenia), placing them at risk for osteoporosis and broken bones.  Osteoporosis can strike at any age, but it is most common in older women.

What Causes Osteoporosis?
Many risk factors can lead to bone loss and osteoporosis.  Some of these things you cannot change and others you can.

Risk factors you cannot change include:
Gender.  Women get osteoporosis more often than men.
Age.  The older you are, the greater your risk of osteoporosis.
Body size.  Small, thin women are at greater risk.
Ethnicity.  White and Asian women are at highest risk.  Black and Hispanic women have a lower risk.
Family history.  Osteoporosis tends to run in families.  If a family member has osteoporosis or breaks a bone, there is a greater chance that you will too.  (Per the statistics, but we know PRAYER CHANGES THINGS!!)  

Preventing Osteoporosis – How Can I Prevent Falls?
Men and women with osteoporosis need to take care not to fall down.  Falls can break bones.

Some reasons people fall are:
+ Poor vision
+ Poor balance
+ Certain diseases that affect how you walk
+ Some types of medicine, such as sleeping pills

Some tips to help prevent falls outdoors are:
+ Use a cane or walker
+ Wear rubber-soled shoes so you don’t slip
+ Walk on grass when sidewalks are slippery
+ In winter, put salt or kitty litter on icy sidewalks

Some ways to help prevent falls indoors are:
+ Keep rooms free of clutter, especially on floors
+ Use plastic or carpet runners on slippery floors
+ Wear low-heeled shoes
+ Do not walk in socks, stockings or slippers
+ Be sure carpets and area rugs have skid-proof backs or are tacked to the floor
+ Put grab bars on bathroom walls near tub, shower and toilet
+ Use a rubber bath mat in the shower or tub
+ Keep a flashlight next to your bed
+ Use a sturdy step stool with a handrail and wide steps
+ Add more lights in rooms
+ Buy a cordless phone to keep with you so that you don’t have to rush to the phone when it rings or so   you can call for help if you fall                                adapted from Health News 2007