WEBVTT 00:00:00.330 --> 00:00:03.529 Standing up seems simple until the moment it 00:00:03.529 --> 00:00:06.929 suddenly isn't. One day it's easy, and then gradually 00:00:06.929 --> 00:00:10.529 it starts to feel shaky, unsteady, or even scary. 00:00:11.089 --> 00:00:14.109 And here's the part nobody warns you about. Most 00:00:14.109 --> 00:00:16.969 falls in the home happen during everyday moments, 00:00:17.329 --> 00:00:20.550 like moving from sitting to standing. Today I'm 00:00:20.550 --> 00:00:22.890 going to show you a simple, safe way to stand 00:00:22.890 --> 00:00:25.949 up without straining, wobbling, or risking a 00:00:25.949 --> 00:00:29.179 fall. You'll learn what actually causes those 00:00:29.179 --> 00:00:32.159 shaky moments, the steps that make standing easier 00:00:32.159 --> 00:00:34.659 on your body, and a few tricks you can start 00:00:34.659 --> 00:00:38.280 using today. And just so you know, we at Senior 00:00:38.280 --> 00:00:40.880 Safety Advice have the training and experience 00:00:40.880 --> 00:00:43.939 to guide seniors and caregivers through everyday 00:00:43.939 --> 00:00:47.340 safety challenges with confidence. Alrighty, 00:00:47.560 --> 00:00:50.600 let's get into it! You know, the act of standing 00:00:50.600 --> 00:00:53.079 up doesn't usually get our attention until it 00:00:53.079 --> 00:00:56.039 becomes a problem. but it actually takes strength, 00:00:56.359 --> 00:00:58.880 balance, coordination, and a little bit of planning. 00:00:59.619 --> 00:01:02.500 When one of those pieces starts to weaken, standing 00:01:02.500 --> 00:01:05.400 from a chair can turn into a fall risk before 00:01:05.400 --> 00:01:08.840 anyone realizes what's changed. Here's what I 00:01:08.840 --> 00:01:12.180 mean. When you sit, your center of gravity is 00:01:12.180 --> 00:01:15.019 stable and low. But when you start to stand, 00:01:15.260 --> 00:01:18.099 that center of gravity shifts forward. If your 00:01:18.099 --> 00:01:20.319 feet aren't in the right place, or your legs 00:01:20.319 --> 00:01:23.640 feel weak, or you're rushing, everything becomes 00:01:23.640 --> 00:01:26.840 unsteady, and that's often when people lose balance. 00:01:27.640 --> 00:01:30.560 So let's break this down into the simplest, safest 00:01:30.560 --> 00:01:33.400 steps. I want you to think of this as a little 00:01:33.400 --> 00:01:36.760 routine you can do every time you stand. It helps 00:01:36.760 --> 00:01:39.780 keep the body stable, and it keeps you in control. 00:01:41.019 --> 00:01:43.400 First step is scoot to the edge of the chair. 00:01:43.840 --> 00:01:46.799 Don't try to stand from sitting way back on the 00:01:46.799 --> 00:01:49.780 cushions or the end of the chair, back of the 00:01:49.780 --> 00:01:52.799 chair. That only makes you strain. Instead, you 00:01:52.799 --> 00:01:55.819 want to lean slightly forward and use your hands 00:01:55.819 --> 00:01:58.120 to sort of walk yourself toward the front edge 00:01:58.120 --> 00:02:01.799 of the chair. You should feel your feet firmly 00:02:01.799 --> 00:02:05.439 on the ground. Second step is place your feet 00:02:05.439 --> 00:02:08.819 under your knees. This one detail makes a huge 00:02:08.819 --> 00:02:11.379 difference. When your feet are too far forward, 00:02:11.580 --> 00:02:14.120 your legs can't push the way they need to. But 00:02:14.120 --> 00:02:16.120 when they're lined up under your knees, your 00:02:16.120 --> 00:02:18.659 leg muscles can do their job without overworking 00:02:18.659 --> 00:02:23.439 your arms or your back. Third step is lean forward, 00:02:23.719 --> 00:02:26.939 nose over toes. You've probably heard that phrase 00:02:26.939 --> 00:02:29.780 before, right? It's simple, but it's powerful. 00:02:30.169 --> 00:02:32.650 When you lean forward, your body shifts into 00:02:32.650 --> 00:02:35.610 the right position for standing. If you try to 00:02:35.610 --> 00:02:38.050 stand while leaning backward or even just straight 00:02:38.050 --> 00:02:41.949 up, it's much harder. Fourth step is to push 00:02:41.949 --> 00:02:45.289 from the arms and legs at the same time. If the 00:02:45.289 --> 00:02:47.909 chair has armrests, use them. That's what they're 00:02:47.909 --> 00:02:50.689 there for. Press down through your hands while 00:02:50.689 --> 00:02:54.469 your legs push the floor away. Think steady and 00:02:54.469 --> 00:02:59.199 strong, not fast. Slow is safer. If there's no 00:02:59.199 --> 00:03:02.020 arm rest, place one hand on the seat beside you 00:03:02.020 --> 00:03:04.180 and then the other on your knee for support. 00:03:04.740 --> 00:03:07.560 That gives your body more stability as you rise. 00:03:08.599 --> 00:03:11.699 Step number five is to stand fully and get your 00:03:11.699 --> 00:03:15.319 balance before walking. This little pause is 00:03:15.319 --> 00:03:18.219 everything. A lot of falls happen because someone 00:03:18.219 --> 00:03:21.020 stands up and immediately tries to walk and their 00:03:21.020 --> 00:03:23.629 blood pressure hasn't caught up yet. You know 00:03:23.629 --> 00:03:26.530 that woozy feeling you get sometimes? Well, that's 00:03:26.530 --> 00:03:29.889 your body saying, hang on a second. So pause, 00:03:30.150 --> 00:03:33.789 take a breath, and then walk. Now you might be 00:03:33.789 --> 00:03:36.150 wondering, why does this get harder with age? 00:03:36.310 --> 00:03:39.270 And that is a great question. Well, there's a 00:03:39.270 --> 00:03:42.389 few reasons. Number one is that leg strength 00:03:42.389 --> 00:03:45.810 decreases over time. Doesn't mean there's anything 00:03:45.810 --> 00:03:48.229 wrong with you. It just means the muscles need 00:03:48.229 --> 00:03:51.870 more support. Number two is balance changes. 00:03:52.189 --> 00:03:55.050 That inner ear system gets a little less responsive 00:03:55.050 --> 00:03:58.389 as we age, so shifting from sitting to standing 00:03:58.389 --> 00:04:02.210 takes more effort. Number three is joint stiffness. 00:04:02.889 --> 00:04:05.330 Hips and knees don't bend the way they used to, 00:04:05.409 --> 00:04:07.770 especially first thing in the morning or after 00:04:07.770 --> 00:04:11.629 sitting still for a long time. Number four is 00:04:11.629 --> 00:04:15.469 vision changes. Even small changes can make it 00:04:15.469 --> 00:04:18.430 harder to judge distance or depth when standing. 00:04:19.019 --> 00:04:21.879 When you understand these changes, you can work 00:04:21.879 --> 00:04:26.079 with them instead of fighting against them. Alright, 00:04:26.079 --> 00:04:28.459 now let's talk about a few practical tips to 00:04:28.459 --> 00:04:31.540 make standing up easier and safer every day. 00:04:32.459 --> 00:04:34.980 One tip is to check the height of the chair. 00:04:35.899 --> 00:04:38.920 Low chairs are the enemy of safe standing. They 00:04:38.920 --> 00:04:41.819 make you sink too far down, which means you need 00:04:41.819 --> 00:04:45.439 more strength to get back up. If possible, use 00:04:45.439 --> 00:04:49.030 a chair with a firm seat and arm rests. Soft 00:04:49.030 --> 00:04:51.649 couches? Well, I know that they're comfy, but 00:04:51.649 --> 00:04:55.310 they're tough to get out of safely. Another tip 00:04:55.310 --> 00:04:58.329 is to use your assistive devices the right way. 00:04:58.850 --> 00:05:01.790 If you use a cane or a walker, it should not 00:05:01.790 --> 00:05:04.110 be your first form of support while standing 00:05:04.110 --> 00:05:06.930 up. Your walker should be in front of you, but 00:05:06.930 --> 00:05:10.470 not pulling you forward. Stand up first, get 00:05:10.470 --> 00:05:13.189 your balance, and then place your hands on it. 00:05:13.769 --> 00:05:16.250 And if you're a caregiver helping someone stand, 00:05:16.540 --> 00:05:19.139 You'll want to avoid pulling them by the arms. 00:05:19.660 --> 00:05:23.000 That's not safe for either of you. Instead, guide 00:05:23.000 --> 00:05:25.339 them through these steps and let their body do 00:05:25.339 --> 00:05:28.980 the work at their pace. Here's another trick 00:05:28.980 --> 00:05:32.220 a lot of people don't know. Strengthening your 00:05:32.220 --> 00:05:36.839 legs even a little bit helps a lot. Simple exercises 00:05:36.839 --> 00:05:40.379 like sit -to -stand repetitions, mini squats, 00:05:40.620 --> 00:05:43.240 and marching in place can build the strength 00:05:43.240 --> 00:05:46.389 needed for this movement. and just a few minutes 00:05:46.389 --> 00:05:50.170 a day goes a long way. Of course, lighting matters 00:05:50.170 --> 00:05:53.250 too. If you're standing from a chair at night 00:05:53.250 --> 00:05:57.050 or in a dim room, turn on a lamp first. You want 00:05:57.050 --> 00:06:00.589 your eyes adjusted before you move. And listen, 00:06:00.670 --> 00:06:03.850 if standing up feels scary, that feeling matters. 00:06:04.370 --> 00:06:06.610 It's your body signaling that something needs 00:06:06.610 --> 00:06:09.730 support. You don't have to push through the fear. 00:06:10.089 --> 00:06:13.230 There are safe ways to make this easier, including 00:06:13.230 --> 00:06:16.490 physical therapy, adaptive equipment, or small 00:06:16.490 --> 00:06:20.189 home modifications. Remember that standing isn't 00:06:20.189 --> 00:06:23.490 just a physical act. It's independence and it's 00:06:23.490 --> 00:06:26.149 being able to get up when you want, move when 00:06:26.149 --> 00:06:29.430 you want, and go where you want. And you deserve 00:06:29.430 --> 00:06:32.250 to feel steady and confident every time you do 00:06:32.250 --> 00:06:35.629 it. So try this simple routine the next time 00:06:35.629 --> 00:06:39.649 you get up. Scoot forward, put your feet under 00:06:39.649 --> 00:06:43.449 your knees, put your nose over your toes, push 00:06:43.449 --> 00:06:47.930 up and rise, and then pause and breathe. Build 00:06:47.930 --> 00:06:51.930 the habit and it becomes second nature. So thanks 00:06:51.930 --> 00:06:54.670 for joining me today. Please share this episode 00:06:54.670 --> 00:06:56.810 with someone you care about who could use the 00:06:56.810 --> 00:06:59.629 information to make their life safer. You'll 00:06:59.629 --> 00:07:02.189 find more resources for seniors and caregivers 00:07:02.189 --> 00:07:05.879 on our website at seniorsafetyadvice .com. And 00:07:05.879 --> 00:07:08.279 if you're searching for an Aging in Place specialist, 00:07:08.579 --> 00:07:12.019 please visit our sister website at aginginplacedirectory 00:07:12.019 --> 00:07:15.759 .com. And if you haven't subscribed to our YouTube 00:07:15.759 --> 00:07:18.600 channel or to this podcast yet, go ahead and 00:07:18.600 --> 00:07:21.120 do that right now, and then come back tomorrow 00:07:21.120 --> 00:07:24.300 for another daily moment of guidance and encouragement 00:07:24.300 --> 00:07:27.600 right here on the Senior Safety Advice Podcast. 00:07:28.300 --> 00:07:31.699 Until next time, thanks for listening. Take care. 00:07:32.220 --> 00:07:32.620 Bye.