Find Your Balance School’s Out! What Can You Do? 5 EXERCISES TO IMPROVE BALANCE
THESE EXERCISES HELP WITH BALANCE. Balance training involves exercises to strengthen the muscles that help keep you upright and improve stability. These types of exercises can be done as often as you like or even every day.
Several different federal benefits programs provide financial assistance to older adults and persons living with disabilities. Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) are two of the most common programs from the Social Security Administration (SSA). WHAT IS SSI? SSI provides minimum basic financial assistance to older adults and persons with disabilities (regardless of age) who have very limited income and resources. These monthly payments are also made to adults ages 65 and older without disabilities who meet the financial qualifications. It provides monthly payments to meet the basic necessities like food, clothing, and shelter. The base monthly federal amount varies depending on your living arrangement and countable income, so not everyone gets the same amount. For example, you may receive less if someone pays for your household expenses or if you live with a spouse and they have income. Navigating Federal Benefit Programs What Are They, and Do You Qualify? Though we may not always think about it, balance is essential to just about everything we do in our daily routines. From simply getting out of bed, leaning over to tie our shoes, or even walking to the mailbox, we need good balance to keep ourselves steady while performing normal tasks. KNOW WHY BALANCE IS IMPORTANT. Balance is the ability to control your body’s position, whether stationary or moving. It is a key component of fitness that many people neglect while developing their fitness regimen. Balance training is a great way to help your body recognize where it is and control movements in a given space. When the body knows where its limbs are in space — known as proprioception — it is able to produce smooth, controlled movements with fewer risks of injuries. Reaction time and agility are also improved with balance training. The body learns how to quickly correct itself but not overcompensate and has the ability to quickly change direction effectively and efficiently. Though balance training is important for everyone, it is especially important for those who have problems due to illness, weakness, or dizziness. It allows them to overcome stiffness or unsteadiness and to develop an awareness of body segments and how to align them.
Consider trying the following exercises:
WHAT IS SSDI? SSDI supports individuals who are disabled and have a qualifying work history, either through their own employment or a family member (spouse/parent). The criteria for an applicant to receive SSDI in Oregon are the same as the rest of the country, though initial approval is done at the state level. Your disability must be severe enough to impact your ability to work and must be listed in the SSA Blue Book. These conditions can be intellectual, physical, or developmental disabilities. WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE? The major difference between these two programs is that an SSI determination is based on age/disability and limited income and resources, whereas an SSDI determination is based on disability and work credits. SSI is financed by general funds of the U.S. Treasury — personal income taxes, corporate, and other taxes. The benefits begin on the first of the month after the month you submit your application. SSDI applicants have a five-month waiting period for benefits, meaning the SSA will not pay benefits for the first five months after someone becomes disabled. But SSDI recipients can get retroactive payments going back to a year before their application date. Navigating through federal benefit programs can be a complex journey, so if you have questions or concerns, feel free to contact us at (503) 325-8600 and we can point you in the right direction. • Standing with your weight on one leg and raising the other leg to the side or behind you. • Putting one heel right in front of the other foot, as if you were walking a tightrope. • Standing up and sitting down from a chair without using your hands. • Walking while alternating knee lifts with each step. • Stretching and gentle movement as part of yoga or tai chi. Balance is essential to living a healthy, functional life. It’s important to incorporate balance training into your fitness regimen. That way you can decrease the risk of injuries and help move freely and confidently.
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The Di Bartolomeo Law Office, P.C. 1139 Exchange Street | Astoria, Oregon | 503-325-8600 | www.JoeDiBartolomeo.com
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