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Old 08-19-2013, 10:44 AM   #7
Janet Rosen
 
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Location: Left Coast
Join Date: May 2002
Posts: 4,339
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Re: Aikido Focused on Seniors

Hi, Blair,
A few random thoughts.
Just had a chance to look at the website.
It seems like from the Fed. govt on down everybody talks about "falls prevention." Personally I don't like it because it isn't realistic. All of us, at any age, can and do fall, because accidents happen. Minimizing risk of falls is I think a more realistic approach.
The other place I'm a contrarian is on shoes. Except for people with severe neuropathy or severe ortho problems in the foot, the last thing people need is to be isolated from the environment by thick soles. Part of maintaining good balance as we age is maintaining proprioceptive skills, and I like to see people in the least separation possible - in the house, barefoot or in the skidproof socks like hospitals use; in the world, thin soled shoes like mocs, kung fu shoes, minimalist shoes, etc.
Besides reducing the risk of falls, how can we teach people to survive falls?

Janet Rosen
http://www.zanshinart.com
"peace will enter when hate is gone"--percy mayfield
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