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Blog archive

August 2025

Art From The Ashes: Second Reception
08/26/2025

Building Community Through Connections: Some Advice for New Members
08/26/2025

Critical Issues: A Call to Action
08/26/2025

Organizer Training Empowers Villagers to Lead the Way
08/26/2025

President's Message
08/26/2025

Super Agers
08/26/2025

The Altadena Dining Club
08/26/2025

Use It or Lose It: How to Offset Muscle Loss at Any Age
08/26/2025

Dunbar Number: Understanding the Limits of Human Relationships
08/25/2025

A Turning Point Towards Growth and Purpose
08/23/2025

Unbreak My Heart
08/23/2025

Lora's Return to Writing
08/18/2025

Nice Clean Colored Girls
08/18/2025

Sanctity Denied: A Pasadena Story of Race and Silence
08/18/2025

Some Thoughts at 3:00 AM by Beverly Lafontaine
08/16/2025

Old Again by Sally Asmundson
08/15/2025

Old by Sally Asmundson
08/15/2025

Art From the Ashes
08/07/2025

Claire Gorfinkel Retires from Board of Directors
08/05/2025

2025 Annual Meeting: A Year of Resilience
08/04/2025

A Walk Through 2024-25
08/04/2025

President's Message
08/01/2025

July 2025

June 2025

May 2025

A Day to Celebrate, Connect, and Empower: Older Americans Month at Victory Park
05/30/2025

End of Life: You Do Have Choices!
05/30/2025

Get Moving, Pasadena Village: Walking Toward a Healthier, Happier You
05/30/2025

Music: A Universal Language
05/30/2025

President's Message
05/30/2025

The New Grammar Guardian of Pasadena Village
05/30/2025

Undue Influence: Keep your friends close and your enemies closer
05/30/2025

Village Within a Village
05/30/2025

What do we do now?
05/30/2025

A Tribute to Dad
05/05/2025

A Tribute to Mom
05/05/2025

A Board Director Perspective
05/02/2025

A Death Valley Adventure
05/02/2025

Ask an Architect
05/02/2025

Message from the President
05/02/2025

My 15-Minute City
05/02/2025

Neighboring Anew
05/02/2025

Scam Red Flags
05/02/2025

Sir Beckett, A Woman's Best Friend
05/02/2025

Volunteer Appreciation: Giving a New Level of Love and Caring
05/02/2025

April 2025

March 2025

About Senior Solutions
03/28/2025

Building a Bridge With Journey House, A Home Base for Former Foster Youth
03/28/2025

Come for the Knitting, Stay for the Conversation... and the Cookies
03/28/2025

Creating Safe and Smart Spaces with Home Technology
03/28/2025

Finding Joy in My Role on The Pasadena Village Board
03/28/2025

I've Fallen and I Can't Get Up!
03/28/2025

Managing Anxiety
03/28/2025

Message from Our President: Keeping Pasadena Village Strong Together
03/28/2025

My Favorite Easter Gift
03/28/2025

The Hidden History of Black Women in WWII
03/28/2025

Urinary Tract Infection – Watch Out!
03/28/2025

Volunteer Coordinator and Blade-Runner
03/28/2025

Continuing Commitment to Combating Racism
03/26/2025

Goodbye and Keep Cold by Robert Frost
03/13/2025

What The Living Do by Marie Howe
03/13/2025

Racism is Not Genetic
03/11/2025

Bill Gould, The First
03/07/2025

THIS IS A CHAPTER, NOT MY WHOLE STORY
03/07/2025

Dramatic Flair: Villagers Share their Digital Art
03/03/2025

Empowering Senior LGBTQ+ Caregivers
03/03/2025

A Life Never Anticipated
03/02/2025

Eaton Fire Changes Life
03/02/2025

February 2025

Commemorating Black History Month 2025
02/28/2025

Transportation at the Pasadena Village
02/28/2025

A Look at Proposition 19
02/27/2025

Behind the Scenes: Understanding the Pasadena Village Board and Its Role
02/27/2025

Beyond and Within the Village: The Power of One
02/27/2025

Celebrating Black Voices
02/27/2025

Creatively Supporting Our Village Community
02/27/2025

Decluttering: More Than The Name Implies
02/27/2025

Hidden Gems of Forest Lawn Museum
02/27/2025

LA River Walk
02/27/2025

Message from the President
02/27/2025

Phoenix Rising
02/27/2025

1619 Conversations with West African Art
02/25/2025

The Party Line
02/24/2025

Bluebird by Charles Bukowski
02/17/2025

Dreams by Langston Hughes
02/17/2025

Haiku - Four by Fritzie
02/17/2025

Haikus - Nine by Virginia
02/17/2025

Wind and Fire
02/17/2025

Partnerships Amplify Relief Efforts
02/07/2025

Another Community Giving Back
02/05/2025

Diary of Disaster Response
02/05/2025

Eaton Fire: A Community United in Loss and Recovery
02/05/2025

Healing Powers of Creative Energy
02/05/2025

Living the Mission
02/05/2025

Message from the President: Honoring Black History Month
02/05/2025

Surviving and Thriving: Elder Health Considerations After the Fires
02/05/2025

Treasure Hunting in The Ashes
02/05/2025

Villager's Stories
02/05/2025

A Beginning of Healing
02/03/2025

Hectic Evacuation From Eaton Canyon Fire
02/02/2025

Hurricanes and Fires are Different Monsters
02/02/2025

January 2025

Use It or Lose It: How to Offset Muscle Loss at Any Age

By Sue Addelson
Posted: 08/26/2025
Tags: sue addelson, newsletter september 2025

Every older adult knows that, no matter what, DON’T FALL! Falls lead to fractures. Or worse. There is an abundance of “how to” articles about fall prevention. Many focus on the obvious: Wear sturdy shoes; make sure your house has good lighting; install handrails; and use canes and other aids. And, of course, remove rugs and anything else you can trip over.


While those are good practices, there’s another, more effective narrative for reducing falls. Today’s best practices revolve around resistance and balance training. Recently, Villager Linda Sindell invited Dave Johnson, the founder of Evergreen Physical Therapy Specialists, to talk to Villagers about the why and what of resistance training. His talk, titled “Adding Quality of Life to Years: Resistance and Balance Training for Reduced Falls and Fractures,” was extremely well received.


Why resistance training

“Sarcopenia, muscle loss, is a natural part of aging,” Dave told the group. The sad fact is that once we hit 30, it’s pretty much downhill. In our 30s, 40s and 50s, we lose about 8 to 10% of our muscle strength each decade. When we hit our 60s, we lose at an even faster rate.

But Dave didn’t come to deliver a doom-and-gloom message. “With resistance and balance training you can offset some of that muscle loss,” he said. Dave has nothing against walking, yoga, tai chi and Pilates—all are worthwhile exercises—"but they don’t combat sarcopenia; especially of the large muscles which atrophy faster,” he emphasized.


What is resistance and balance training

Dave explained the types of exercises for back and hips, legs, shoulders and arms that make up resistance training and also the ones for balance training. He went through the formula so that each person could calculate the optimal amount of weight for them.  And then he provided a QR code so attendees could download a set of exercises and get started on their own at home.


Every participant said the presentation was excellent, and that they learned a lot and were planning to do the exercises at home. At least one, Joanna Ward, actually followed through on that promise. “I found the presentation very valuable,” she said. “I feel like I’m already getting stronger.”


Dave closed on a reminder that “resistance training is for everyone. No matter if you are weak or have experienced bone loss. You can absolutely achieve adaptive change that leads to improved strength and bone density.”

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