These people amaze me! To even imagine living that long boggles the mind. I really don't have any hope of getting anywhere near there but often dwell about what it would be like. I love talking them, hearing their stories and seeing what makes them keep ticking.
I am currently training a 98 year old who had pretty much given up on ever walking again after falling and breaking his hip last December. Up to that point he was independently living at home! From the start I could tell he was willing to work for it but feeling discouraged but told him that half the battle was over because of his determined attitude and I was looking forward to the challenge and that it gave me a chance to break me record of getting a 97 year old woman to walk again and told him of that story, I have to tell it here later.
I've been working with him for about month now and the starting out was rough. He refused to do the sitting down exercises because sitting down was not the goal we discussed. He wasn't buying my argument that he needed the strength to be able to stand before he could walk. But he does respect reasoning though and I told him in a sense I agreed with him as per what we call the SAID Principle (Specific Adaption to Imposed Demand) which is basically you train by specifically doing what you want to do - which in this case was standing and walking.
So, since he couldn't stand I picked him and held him up and kept him up as long as he could tolerate it, rest, and do it again. Second visit he stood with just my assistance and then I said, Great, now do you know how you learn to walk? and he said, How? and I said, One step at a time, so lets go, one step! He thought I was joking but I was serious. I pretty much carried him but he was so happy to say he took a step.
Long story short, he's accepted that I insist that he do a standing balance routine before he gets to do his walk and he improves every visit and walked 140' today on his own power! The quality of his life is so much better and it goes to show that if one has the mind and determination that you'er never too old. I really look forward to our visits, it is so fun and rewarding.
I am currently training a 98 year old who had pretty much given up on ever walking again after falling and breaking his hip last December. Up to that point he was independently living at home! From the start I could tell he was willing to work for it but feeling discouraged but told him that half the battle was over because of his determined attitude and I was looking forward to the challenge and that it gave me a chance to break me record of getting a 97 year old woman to walk again and told him of that story, I have to tell it here later.
I've been working with him for about month now and the starting out was rough. He refused to do the sitting down exercises because sitting down was not the goal we discussed. He wasn't buying my argument that he needed the strength to be able to stand before he could walk. But he does respect reasoning though and I told him in a sense I agreed with him as per what we call the SAID Principle (Specific Adaption to Imposed Demand) which is basically you train by specifically doing what you want to do - which in this case was standing and walking.
So, since he couldn't stand I picked him and held him up and kept him up as long as he could tolerate it, rest, and do it again. Second visit he stood with just my assistance and then I said, Great, now do you know how you learn to walk? and he said, How? and I said, One step at a time, so lets go, one step! He thought I was joking but I was serious. I pretty much carried him but he was so happy to say he took a step.
Long story short, he's accepted that I insist that he do a standing balance routine before he gets to do his walk and he improves every visit and walked 140' today on his own power! The quality of his life is so much better and it goes to show that if one has the mind and determination that you'er never too old. I really look forward to our visits, it is so fun and rewarding.
