Musician Leonard Cohen died in his sleep after a fall.
This sort of personal information fascinates fans so it's no surprise that list website Ranker.com devotes an entire section to celebrities who died after falls.
Those cited range from Cohen's fellow Canadian, wrestler Owen Hart to British Labour Party politicians and Northern Ireland secretaries, Dr Mo Mowlam and Merlyn Rees. There is even an entry for the ironically and pseudonymously named musician, John Balance.
So to help private citizens, particularly those of us who are growing older and so a little frail, physical fitness trainer, Baz Thompson has produced a manual to help us avoid such traumas.
Thompson's Amazon biography claims he has helped 'hundreds of people' to achieve their fitness goals, be they professional athletes, business leaders or ordinary members of the public.
Certainly, his book, Balance Exercises for Seniors** is superior to others I have read in the same genre, offering very good advice to older people as to how they may keep upright and supple despite advancing years.
There is a full range of seated exercises for the disabled or those simply less ambulant and a section devoted to 'vestibular' exercises for those with hearing and sight impairment.
I also recommend the accompanying line drawings that well illustrate the author's intent. Links to free downloads for a recipe book and work book are also provided.
Thompson has produced a second book, Stretching Exercises for Seniors. I suggest that any reprints include a glossary of the anatomical terms employed to save readers having to use a dictionary.
** Balance Exercises for Seniors: Easy to Perform Fall Prevention Workouts to Improve Stability and Posture (Strength Training for Seniors) is available on Kindle ($0.99) or in print format ($24.97, hardcover; $9.97, paperback).
NATALIE WOOD
13 JANUARY 2022