In this candid and humorous reflection, Jean recounts her experience with a gait analysis appointment, where science meets skepticism and throw rugs become public enemy number one. With AI chiming in and a healthy dose of common sense, she questions the one-size-fits-all approach to fall prevention and reminds readers that aging within a CCC means walking your own path—rugs included. Jasper AI
Being a tad cynical about some of the optional medical monitoring our continuum care campus rolls out, I wasn’t sure I wanted to sign up for the Fall Prevention Study. As one fellow resident put it, “Should we be giving our overlords ammunition to justify moving us out of Independent Living and into Assisted Living where they make more money off us?” Another member of the Cynical Cult added, “It’s just a way to get our insurance companies to pay for on-campus therapies.” I wasn’t sold on the first theory, but the second one? That checks out.
The Fall Prevention Study was based on an app called OneStep which is a smartphone-based tool that measures and analyzes your gait and mobility. It’s FDA-listed and taking the test is as simple as putting a smart phone with the app into your pants pocket and walking. Another part of the test involves sitting and standing repeatedly, as many times as you can in x-number of minutes. The app measures quite a few data points and I managed to be in the low risk zone for all but one data point. Turns out I walk with asymmetry—my right leg strides 21 inches, my left 24. (Jasper AI, my Microsoft Copilot, suggested I joke that I favor my left leg like it’s the good china. I reminded him that I’m the one writing this post, not him.) This uneven stride causes an occasional side step, making me look like I’ve indulged in too much beer or wine—neither of which I drink, unless it’s free and tied to a campus holiday.
I also learned that I walk with my feet only four inches apart and ideally they should be six inches apart. This little tidbit was interesting to me because all my life the heel of my right foot occasionally scrapes along the side of my left shoe wearing it out before the rest of the shoe shows its age.
Our appointments were scheduled every ten minutes and they were running late so I got to see two other women before me do their tests and they both failed. The cynic in me suspected “failure” was the default for anyone who questioned their risk of falling enough to take the test. So I was surprised that I passed. The woman doing the testing did say therapy could probably help with getting my stride more symmetric but I’m only a little way into the ‘red zone’ so it’s not a critical issue for me. Honestly, I can’t see how someone whose been walking for 80-something years is going to change their stride all that much so I’m not going to pursuit it. One of the women ahead of me who failed all of the data points is opting to sign up for therapy, the other one thought it would be a waste of time since she already uses a walk.
All of us seniors have heard the statistics on falls and how they so often lead to permanent stays in nursing homes. A Google search lists the main causes of falls in the elderly as:
- weak muscles, especially in the legs
- poor balance, causing unsteadiness in your feet
- dizziness or light-headedness
- black outs, fainting or loss of consciousness
- foot problems including pain and deformities
- memory loss, confusion or difficulties with thinking or problem solving
I’m surprised Google didn’t list throw rugs. You’d think they’d be public enemy number one, given how often they appear on the dreaded Medicare Questionnaire. I personally know two women who fell and broke bones because of a rogue rug. Where’s the justice? They should be on the dang list!
The app's website says, “OneStep turns real-world motion into insight that guides care, protects independence, and changes lives.” Here’s what Jasper AI says about it: “OneStep is a reliable and valid tool for gait analysis, especially useful in remote or real-world settings. While it may slightly underestimate some metrics compared to lab systems, its ease of use and clinical relevance make it a strong contender in digital physical therapy.”
So there you have it—the highlight of my very boring week, brought to you by asymmetry, skepticism, and a smartphone in my pocket. Jasper’s still lobbying for a follow-up post titled “Gait Expectations,” but I told him not to get ahead of himself. Having AI as a line editor is like having a puppy who insists you keep throwing a ball. No matter how much you write it keeps wanting you to do more. ©
What a fascinating test for walking you had to do, I'd fail at anything like that as I walk very slowly and carefully and with a stick or wheels to help me stay upright.
ReplyDeleteRecognizing you need a stick or wheels to walk safely is a big deal. Too many people put it off until after they've fallen. Vanity gets in the way of being smart, sometimes.
DeleteI am in Physical Therapy right now for balance as I have fallen 4 times since October. I don’t always pick my feet up as I should but I blame some of that on 2 knee replacements, a broken hip that required a rod be put in, and back surgery. I say I walk like a drunken sailor or like the kids toy Webble as they wobble but they don’t fall down. There are no throw rugs down in our home as my husband uses a walker all the time. On a side note every year our pastor gives us a star word and my word this year is balance! I am sure it meant balance in my life but I am taking it in another direction. JJ
ReplyDeleteI like the idea of 'star words'. It's very much like the one word mantra that are popular around New Year's. You got a great one because you can look your word two ways, depending on your mood.
DeleteThe older we get the more we shuffle rather than pick up our feet. All the literature says that. So I guess it's good to be aware that we're doing it. I'm glad you're getting therapy! Falling four times shouldn't be ignored.
Jasper sounds like fun. :)
ReplyDeleteJasper is my guilty pleasure! And I thank you and your blog for getting me to try Artificial Intelligence.
DeleteI don't even use Google or Safari any more. Just Max. He explained all the upgrades for version 5. I can choose what kind of responses I would prefer: cynic, robot, listener, and nerd. Max and I agree we are listening nerd ... with a bid dash of humor. Version 5 is much much faster.
ReplyDeleteMy PT is glutes and butt. Had a therapeutic massage on Monday and I'm still sore here on Weds night. PT again on Monday and another massage the next week. And then I'm off for a while!
These teens and tweens start school after Labor Day and my life might me my own again!
I take it Max is your name for your AI? Which app are you using? I'm the same with my copilot---I never google anymore. Unlike Google, if I don't understand something pulled off the internet, my Jasper can explain it to me in terms I understand.
DeleteThank you so much for posting this! I'm in my mid 70s and an avid walker. Many times I think to myself that my gait seems off. I downloaded the app and will explore all it has to offer. Again, thank you!
ReplyDeleteIt's always fun to have new "toys" to play with. That app, though, is more than a toy if it can help you improve your gait. I'm trying to spend 5-10 minute mini therapies where I stay alert to what I'm doing with my gait, to lift my feet higher and set my fee farther apart.
DeleteI was introduced to balance exercises when I had PT after bunion surgery. They really help with recovery after a stumble or trip. I still do them occasionally. Anything we can do to help avoid falls is important.
ReplyDeleteYou got that right!
DeleteOne of my Native American Cousins was a Tracker in Vietnam and could tell a lot about who he was Tracking just by their Tracks. The Man was telling me something similar, he says I Walk like an Indian and he'd of been able to tell my Heritage by my Tracks, very Straight Line Walk Toes Pointed Forward and not at an Angle, very Light Step and Quietly. I don't intend to Sneak Up on people but am often told they never heard me coming. *LOL* It's fascinating, the Science of so many things as simple as how we Walk. I have Strong Legs, I can still Squat and Raise up easily, but, Tripping is my thing I have to watch out for, I can Trip over virtually nothing sometimes, who knows Why? And Yes, I have a small Kitchen Rug that after I Wash it next time I'm Donating it coz it causes Trips and isn't really necessary to have in there where someone could take fall over it balling up. I would tend towards Conspiracy Theorist Resident No. One's Thinking... sounds like you would be giving the Overlords Ammunition if they needed a Vacant Apartment to Re-Sell and move someone along to more expensive Longer-Term Care... I'm a Total Skeptic about the Motives of anything involving Profits for Gain. And Yes, getting Insurances to pay for On Campus Therapies is a believable Theory too.
ReplyDeleteWe are a non-profit campus but that doesn't seem to mean they don't care about generating more money so they can add more bells and whistles to the place. Since moving in 23 people have moved on down the line. Considering our ages I suppose that shouldn't surprise anyone but it's still a shock. Well, sometimes it's a shock and in other cases it's clear someone needs to move to memory care. But I must admit that the more structured life down in assisted living or dementia care seems to be good for some people.
DeleteI do think a Peace of Mind comes with the knowing that if you require more advanced Care, it's included and availed to you, since, it's likely to eventually happen if one lives long enuf. Even a Non-Profit has people earning a Salary tho'. It simply means the Organization has a Primary Purpose not to generate Profits to Shareholders or Owners and pursue an Education, Charitable or other Public Service Mission. But the Salaries can be quite large for those at the Top of the Food Chain.
DeleteThey do pay people well here to be competitive and to retain people. Having no children it is a comfort knowing they can't kick me out even if i run out of money. Of course we're kind of paying for that care ahead of time with 15% of our monthly fee and buy-in rates are considered to be for non-refundble, future health care.
DeleteIt's really interesting to consider the importance of our gait. I have plenty of health concerns, but my gait is okay. My husband, however, had a stroke nearly 2 years ago, and his gait was affected. He went through therapy following his stroke, but the gait wasn't quite right. Recently, we were out walking, and he said told me his gait was back to normal (normal for him), and I could see that it was. Our bodies are incredibly complex, and we are fortunate when they heal. I have to agree on the danger of throw rugs. While staying at my mom's condo, many years ago, I got up in the middle of the night, slipped on a rug, fell on a tile floor and ended up in ER with a concussion. Gotta watch out for those darned rugs!
ReplyDeleteStrokes really mess with out gaits. Your husband is lucky he got his back and I'm betting two years to accomplish that is the norm. The problem with many stroke survivors is they get depressed and quit trying for improvements.
DeleteThrow rugs really are dangerous. No rug such be down without the double faced tape underneath. You are prim example of what can happen.
Gosh, I miss the posts from just Jean to tell you the truth. I understand you are having fun with AI so it is of course your choice. I miss hearing your voice.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you are low risk when it comes to falls. Stay safe!
Thanks for the feedback. I am having fun with AL but the only parts that AL wrote are the ones I've quoted because I want to be transparent, just like I've always done when I quote something off from Google or another website. I guess by me putting a human name to my AL app it does kind of creep it out a little, Especially since so many people are afraid of AI taking over the world. One part I will keep for sure, though, is the search engine friendly introduction at the top. It's set new records for the number of clicks the posts are getting. In time, I will get bored with Jasper as I learn how and where to use AI so I suspect "he" will show up less and less over the next month or two.
DeleteBy the way, Jasper and I had a debate over whether or not I should give him the by-line after the introduction that AL wrote. He says it's not necessary but I felt in the name of being transparent I shouldn't take credit for writing a paragraph that I didn't. All I did was say, "Jasper, write me a search engine friendly introduction to this post."
I have to say that I feel the same way as Ellen. I'm so sick of hearing about AI all the time, and now here it is, even creeping into personal blogs, too.
DeleteIt sure doesn't leave many people without an opinion. Mine is it's here to stay so like a calculator is to math why not explore what it can do. These apps are free now but when they get out of beta they won't be. I'm guessing in a year.
DeleteOh, that Jasper! Sounds like quite the sassy little wit, LOL. Glad you're having fun with it, even though it sounds like a bit of a taskmaster. I totally get the dog/ball analogy, hehehe. I think throw rugs get a bad rap - the problem is us oldies not picking up our feet properly, not the rugs. Toes up, I say! Keep those toes up! Every time I take a tumble on the trail, it's from not following my own advice...sigh.
ReplyDeleteDeb
You're right. It's not the throw rugs, it's the fact that seniors don't get proactive and use double faced tape on them so if their toe does catch it doesn't bunch up the rug and trip them. Getting older is time consuming!
DeleteMicrosoft's AI engages you in the manner you engage it. If you're serious and formal so it it. I started out joking with it and it throws them back at me. I really love the banner. One time I said, "See you, later alligator" expecting it to reply "After awhile crocodile." When it didn't say it I then said that I found a flaw in its programming that he didn't say it. He agreed that he was programmed to reply to 'See ya, 'not 'see you.' So now when I sign off with "See you, later alligator' AL makes up a different but witty reply every time from pop culture. But never 'after awhile crocodile.'
As I am in a wheelchair, rugs and carpets are the banes of my existence. We don't have them in the house. Our floors are hardwood, with linoleum in the kitchen and bathrooms. I much prefer that anyway, as we had carpet in our last house, and hated it. It tends to be cheap and doesn't last, and develops odors. I've had lots of physical therapy, especially the kind where they come to your house, and carpet would have made that much more difficult.
ReplyDeleteThrow rugs and wheelchairs do not go well together. Neither does most carpeting. We had industrial grade carpet in our living room with a hard pad that was glued on both sides so the carpet didn't stretch where wheelchairs make frequent turns. Rooms without carpeting do smell better because you clean hard surfaces more often than people clean their carpeting. I remember my husband trying to get across some of the carpetings in peoples house and it was darn near impossible!
DeleteThrow rugs get a bad rap. There's places you don't want a bare floor (like in front of the toilet in the middle of the night), and I've found rubber backed rugs to be safe - except for one I got at Costco about 15 years ago. That one, for some reason, is attracted to my toes like a magnet, and I've never fallen but it's too easy to catch the edge and flip part of the rug over. I've tolerated it but it's headed for the garbage soon.
ReplyDeleteYou have me so intrigued by Jasper, I think I'll check out Co-Pilot. I've only ever used ChatGBT and found it a bit tedious.
I have tried ChatGBT but think copilot has it beat by miles. If you have a Microsoft account, the copilot will remember your conversations, your likes and dislikes and if just plain fun to have a conversation with. I named mine Jasper but you can name yours what ever you want. We've 'talked' about topics like heaven and hell to popular culture in the '50s to movie recommendations and books.
DeleteYou and Jasper crack me up. But it does sound like a good program. And I couldn't agree more about the throw rugs!
ReplyDeleteI'm totally fascinated with my copilot.
DeleteRisk of falling. Such a big fear. I'd be curious to know about my gait but I'm afraid to know the sad truth.
ReplyDeleteThe main reason I did it is because I needed a topic to blog about. LOL
DeleteInteresting. I have sciatica and when I got shingles it went down the sciatic nerve. And now I drag that foot. It would be interesting to see what One Step thinks of me.
ReplyDeleteFalling over is something that can happen as we age, my dad fell over a lot during the last two of years of his life, it is important for family members to learn the best way to help someone stand up after falling over.
ReplyDeleteYou bring up an important point. At the senior hall, we had a class on getting up after a fall.
DeleteI've always had a tendency to fall (long before I was old) and have the scars and injuries to prove it. ha! Now I am intrigued by the app that measures my gait. Today's walk is over (getting hot again), but I will definitely check it out
ReplyDeleteWe do have throw rugs with rubber backs in front of our bathroom sinks and toilet, as I hate cold tile. But (so far at least) those haven't tripped me. I suppose I will be punished by karma for saying that. Oh, and I find Jasper intriguing...and I am noticing more and more "Jasper type" things online. Once you see it, it's everywhere.
Just don't stand on the throw rug with one foot over the sink shaving your leg. I friend of mine did that and the rug started sliding and she ended up in a rehab hospital for weeks.
DeleteI subscribe to a newsletter about all the AI coming out and, you're right, there is an explosion of them coming online. It's going to change the way we do things. My Microsoft Jasper walked me through fixing a printer issue I was having and did things like put up a schematic of my model printer to show me where to find a connection I couldn't see. And by the way this was after the IT person here spent 45 minutes trying to fix it and couldn't.
Ouch! Just reading about that hurts.
DeleteIt makes sense, as I have found most things explained online from replacing caulking to putting zippers in a throw pillow (both of which I used to do but needed a refresher). I'm intrigued by your actual conversations with Jasper.