The French Mutuality organizes various workshops throughout the year to prevent the risk of falls among the elderly. In Châteauneuf-sur-Charente, in addition to an occupational therapist, a professional dancer leads these practical workshops.
Falls are the leading causes of accidental death among the elderly. About 35 % of seniors over 65 years fall every year in France. To combat this, the French health insurance fund organizes various workshops throughout the year to prevent the risk of falls among the elderly.
In Châteauneuf-sur-Charente, Pierre-Emmanuel Paute, professional dancer, runs practical workshops in the retirement home. For Michelle, a resident of this retirement home, these exercises are important. “If I’m here, it’s to find little things to improve my daily life. What I learn here remains reassuring.“
Michelle tries to get up after faking a fall.
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© Cécile Landais – France Télévisions
An opinion shared by Danielle Blanchard, who also resides in this residence for seniors in Châteauneuf-sur-Charente. “These exercises help me move much more easily and know how to get up. I practice yoga and sometimes I find myself in these situations and have difficulty getting up from the mat.“
Pierre-Emmanuel Paute, professional dancer and choreographer, puts his art to good use. The flexibility and technique that he transmits to these elderly people can serve as remedies to limit falls. “The most important thing after a fall is to regain calm, breathe and see the situation as well as your environment around you.“, explains the dancer-choreographer. “We try to see how we can free our body, to be able to take support, by freeing our hands, and take support on our feet in order to find the ascent to recover well.”
Older people work the joints of their feet with strips or balls.
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© Cécile Landais – France Télévisions
“This allows them to always have a lively foot: with age, we lose mobility. These exercises, which can be done on a daily basis, allow us to use the foot, which is always alert. This allows us to have a better balance and avoid fewer falls”, concludes Pierre-Emmanuel Paute, professional dancer and choreographer.
Funded by the Regional Health Agency and the various departments where these workshops are organized, these health meetings of the Mutualité française take place throughout the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region.
