One must be extra careful not to miss that small incline leading from parking lot to the sidewalk, and if there’s no incline, you have to actually lift your whole foot up. Be careful. A few years back, I misjudged the length of my foot, caught my sneakered toe on the edge of that pesky sidewalk and went sprawling, right in front of Mr. Bagel. Thankfully, they were closed so I didn’t have an audience. I did, however, scrape my arms, hands, face and managed to break my glasses. That meant I had to find someone to drive my car (and my damaged self) home.

This can happen so easily – and I bet there are many reading this to whom it will all sound familiar. One of my relatives did the same trip-and-fall routine, and she ended up in the hospital. She was miles and miles from home and also needed to have someone drive her home, after the trip via ambulance to the emergency room. Her black eye was painful and she required stitches, medication and a week of recovery.

Falling is a big fear for many seniors. It ranks right up there with heart attacks. And for good reason. Just the other night I saw a commercial that reminded me that 1 out of 3 people 65 or older fall every year.

While I’ve been waiting to schedule cataract surgery, I’ve been extra careful walking. My second-floor apartment stairs provide wonderful exercise but always a chance of misjudging depth. It will be wonderful to be able to see more clearly, but still, given my age, extra care must be taken – always.

Southern Maine Agency on Aging is hosting workshops on the fear of falling. The workshop is called “A Matter of Balance,” and is a nationally recognized class designed to help you manage falls and increase activity you may have restricted because of concerns about falling. The workshop will teach you how to view falls as controllable, set goals for increasing activity, learn exercises to increase strength and balance, and make changes to reduce your risk of falling.

The next class will be held at The Woods at Canco in Portland, Mondays and Thursdays, Sept. 8-Oct., 3, from noon-2 p.m. To register or learn more information about this class or other upcoming classes, call 396-6583 or email eweston@smaaa.org.

Another useful program is “Putting the Puzzle Together,” a four-part education series for those helping older family or friends. This includes many people I know, who often are caring for or “looking after” parents or other relatives. This can be tiring, frustrating and exhausting.

This program will be held at the Southern Maine Agency on Aging office in Scarborough, on Tuesdays, Sept. 3, 10, 17 and 24, from 5:15-7:15 p.m. Sessions include information about older adult health, community resources, living options, problem solving, and legal issues. Participants should plan to attend all four sessions. There is no charge, but pre-registration is required. For more information, or to register, contact Ann O’Sullivan at 800-427-7411 x541 or email aosullivan@smaaa.org. The flyer can be downloaded at www.smaaa.org.

Kay Soldier welcomes reader ideas for column topics of interest to seniors. She can be reached by email at kso48@aol.com, or write to 114 Tandberg Trail, Windham, ME 04062.

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