Elder safety: How to maintain good balance [Video]

Taking a shower. Grocery shopping. Moving around the kitchen. Getting dressed. The underappreciated link between these mundane activities is good balance, which geriatricians say is key to maintaining an independent lifestyle as we age.

Lacking balance can be dangerous. In the U.S., three million older people seek medical care for fall-related injuries each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control. But falls are not inevitable, said Roopa Anmolsingh, a geriatrician who created the Cleveland Clinic’s balance classes.

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“Some people have a misconception that part of getting old is, you’re going to fall. That’s not true,” Anmolsingh said. “You can control how you fall, or if you fall.”

To prevent falls, geriatricians say people should start asking themselves questions about their balance as early as 50 years old.