Introduction

As we get older we begin to loose many of those abilities that we normally take for granted. One of the most important of those abilities that can be affected is our Balance. Having poor balance can lead to having a fall; having a fall can have profound consequences for our quality of life (For information on Falls see Department of Health Aged Care). The good news is that falls can be prevented. It is not a necessary fact of life that our balance must deteriorate. We can not only prevent our balance from becoming poorer, if we already have poor balance we can do something to significantly improve it. Getting Grounded Gracefully is an exercise program specifically designed to improve balance in older people.

[Top]

What happens to Older People when their Balance Deteriorates

When an older person has a fall, or a near fall, they begin to lose confidence in their balance. This loss of confidence can be insidious. The sorts of things that can happen include the person slowing down, being more careful, and limiting their activity. This of course doesn’t improve the person’s confidence, it just limits their functioning. And although the idea here is to avoid another fall it often is just the beginning of a spiral downwards. For what is really happening is that the person, in order to avoid another fall seeks stability, and in seeking stability the person paradoxically becomes more likely to fall. Getting Grounded Gracefully helps us to break this cycle. It teaches people who have lost confidence in their balance that, rather than seek being stable, they can relearn the freedom of movement which is fundamental to standing and walking in human beings.

[Top]

The Program

Getting Grounded Gracefully is a series of 16 lessons specifically designed to help older people who may be at risk of falling, decrease their risk of falling and improve their balance. It also aims to help older people undertake more physical activity. The program is very gentle and aims to increase a person’s awareness of how they organise themself to balance, to stand, to move and to walk. It is an exercise program which explores how we can be more intelligent in how we move. The program explores movement and balance in sitting, in the transition from sitting to standing, in standing, and then becomes an exploration of the possibility of walking with ease.

[Top]

How we know Getting Grounded Gracefully is Effective

It is important when choosing an exercise program, particularly one for older people whose balance is compromised, to select one which is evidence based. This means that the program has been thoroughly evaluated to demonstrate that it is safe and effective. Getting Grounded Gracefully has been thoroughly, rigorously and independently evaluated. For information on the research into Getting Grounded Gracefully please go to the Research page.

[Top]

Who Should do this Program

The program is very much targeted at those people who are beginning to experience a problem with their balance. This may be a problem that has already led to a fall, or even more than one fall, or it may be simply a lack of confidence in one’s balance and fear of falling. Sometimes such a lack of confidence can lead to a person restricting their movement and limiting what they attempt to do and so can have quite a large, negative impact on lifestyle and activity.

Getting Grounded Gracefully is designed to improve a person’s ability to move easily and gracefully and, over the course of the program, help older people have more confidence in their balance and in their walking.

[Top]

Cautionary advice

This program is not designed for people who are very frail. To undertake this program you should be able to walk at least five metres without the aid of a walking stick and be able to stand without holding on to anything for at least one minute. Those people who normally use a walking stick occasionally, or to go outside, may still undertake the program as long as they can walk at least five metres without the aid of a walking stick and are able to stand without holding on to anything for at least one minute.

[Top]

Free Trial of First Lesson

To listen to the Course Introduction and for a free trial of the first lesson of Getting Grounded Gracefully, please go to the download page. You will then be able to download two MP3 files, one for the Introduction and the other for Lesson 1 – Whole Body Turning.

[Top]

Ordering

Getting Grounded Gracefully comes as either a set of 16 Audio CDs or a single mp3 formatted CD. On the first track there is an introduction to the whole program which includes instructions on how to do the program and how to get the best out of it. Each lesson is between 40-60 minutes long. Also each lesson contains an individual introduction to each lesson. These introductions can be viewed at the Lesson Introduction.

Set of 16 audio CD’s

This set of 16 audio CD’s can be played on any CD player. The cost for the set of 16 audio CD’s is $119.95 plus $15 postage and handling.

Single mp3 formatted CD

This single CD contains the Introduction and all 16 lessons from the program and can only be played on CD players (including some DVD players) which can play the mp3 format. The cost for the single CD is $79.95 plus $7.50 postage and handling.

To order your copy of Getting Grounded Gracefully please go to the order page or click here Order. Payment can be made via PayPal using your credit card or via mail order.

[Top]

Disclaimer

Getting Grounded Gracefully is targeted at helping older people whose balance is compromised, and who are at risk of a fall. Given the nature of this target group there is a risk involved undertaking such a program, including the possibility of a fall. Whilst every effort has been made to make sure this program is safe for older people to undertake no liability is accepted should a person injure themselves in attempting Getting Grounded Gracefully.

In purchasing Getting Grounded Gracefully you (The Purchaser) accept all risks and responsibility for losses, damages, costs and other consequences resulting directly or indirectly from the use of Getting Grounded Gracefully.

[Top]