Steady Steps is meant to help seniors avoid falls and live a full life.Sonny Smart, 76-year-old father of Georgia head coach Kirby Smart, took a tumble while walking in New Orleans Jan. 1. He was one of several family members in town for the Sugar Bowl, and, as a former high school football coach himself, he was looking forward to his son’s big game against Notre Dame. Smart was hospitalized after the fall and underwent hip surgery, but complications arose. He died Jan. 4 surrounded by his son and other family members.
Smart’s story is not uncommon. Senior citizens fall frequently while inside their homes or out in the community. David Titsworth has written a new book, Steady Steps, to help neighbors anticipate and avoid falls which threaten their independence, their health — and even their life.
“Falls like Smart’s happen all too often, unfortunately,” Titsworth says. “It really stunned me when I started doing research and found that one in four seniors 55 and above will fall in the next year and suffer injuries bad enough that they will have to go to the ER or the doctor.”
Titsworth’s wife Sharon experienced frequent falls before her death, and he often called the fire department to help pick her up and put her back into bed. On other occasions, he relied on son Craig, now a teacher at Lake Highlands Elementary. (Loyal readers may recall the day in 2016 when Craig, then a P.E. teacher and track coach at Lake Highlands Junior High, saved 13-year-old Joe Krejci using an automated external defibrillator, or A.E.D., during sixth period.)
Titsworth, too, has had his share of falls.
“My neighbor had watered the yard, but you couldn’t tell it by looking at the grass,” he recalls. “I pushed the mower up the slope, and my left leg went south, while my right leg went right down on the knee. The knee broke — they call it the anterior tibial plateau. I was stuck laying half in the alley, half in my yard, wondering how to get back in the house when the trash truck came around the corner. They helped me get back in the house and even put away the lawn mower.”
During his extended recovery period, Titsworth had plenty of time on his hands.
“I decided I was going do some research and find out how bad falls really are. I wanted to know if we were the exception or the norm, and I found out that we were more the norm than the exception. Most falls result from tripping or loss of balance or taking a wrong step some place. You can’t make a space fall proof, but part of the book is dedicated to helping you remove all the obstacles. You can declutter a room and make a clear pathway.”
The book also provides exercises for developing strength and balance, and it addresses ways to stand up without grabbing hold of one’s surroundings.
“The last part of the book is about mindset — making people understand they need not fear falling if they do these things and pay attention to where they’re walking,” explains Titsworth. “Look at the ground. Notice what’s out there. Notice where the hazards are. Notice if there’s a difference in payment. Notice cracks. Notice the difference in elevation. I’ve found that if you follow a regimen and do certain things, you will get more confidence in your body and what you can do. You will gain confidence to live a full life and not have to live a sheltered life or stay in bed for the rest of your years.”
Steady Steps is available on Amazon under the pen name David Worth.
