For Americans 65 and older, falling down can be the worst thing to happen to them, according to statistics from the National Council on Aging:

• One in three seniors experiences a significant fall each year
• Every 18 seconds, a senior is admitted into an emergency room after losing balance and hitting the ground
• Every 35 minutes, an elderly person dies from a fall -- the leading cause of death for seniors

"The projected cost in health-care expenses for 2020 due to fall-related injuries in the United States is $55 billion," says Karen Peterson, a therapist with multiple certifications, and author of "Move With Balance: Healthy Aging Activities for Brain and Body," (www.MoveWithBalance.org). She's also the founder and director of Giving Back, a nonprofit organization that grows and spreads programs that support senior health.

"It's important for seniors to keep moving and learning, that's what helps improve balance and coordination, and even helps build new neural pathways," says Peterson, who emphasizes the cognitive importance to her workout programs. "But if you're rather frail, or just very fearful of falling, you're less likely to get up and move around." These activities benefit all seniors, from 55 to 105.

Peterson says a fun, social program of games and activities that include exercises specifically designed for seniors helps them address multiple issues, including those that tend to keep seniors sedentary - which only lessens their strength and balance.

Last year, her program was independently evaluated from Hawaii's Department of Heath, which found a statistically significant reduction in falls from seniors - 38 percent. It also won the MindAlert Award from the American Society on Aging.

"Seniors of all ages need to continually work on improving their balance, coordination, strength, vision and cognitive skills. When they do, they're less likely to fall - and more able to enjoy life."

Peterson suggests these moves, which address many different areas of the body:

• The cross-crawl: After various light warm-ups, begin with the basic cross-crawl, which focuses on the fundamentals of balance. March in place, lifting the knees high. At the same time, reach across and touch the lifted knee with the opposite hand or elbow; alternate and keep going. This can be done sitting, standing or lying down. Once any of these exercises are mastered, Peterson says, participants should continue to challenge themselves. For even greater balance work, and to exercise the vestibular system, close your eyes and count backwards from 100 by threes. "It's not fun if you're not conquering a challenge," she says. Her book includes several challenges for each exercise.

• Forward toe-touch dancer: To improve motor skills, physical coordination and cognition, there are many dance exercises that are appropriate for seniors. If needed, use a chair for assistance. Place your feet shoulder-width apart. Now, simultaneously extend your left foot and your right arm forward. Keep your left toes pointed down, touching the floor; or for more difficulty, maintain the toes a few inches off the floor. Repeat this move with your left arm and right foot. Hold each pose for several seconds, and increase holding time.

• Sensory integration - the arrow chart: Look at an arrow chart and call out the direction indicated by each individual symbol. Then, thrust your arms in that direction; in other words, say and do what the arrow indicates. For an additional challenge, do the opposite of what the arrow indicates.

• Side-step walk: Walk sidestepping - bring your right foot across the left and step down three to five inches away from the left foot, ankles crossed. The closer the feet, the harder it is to balance. Alternate crossing the foot in front and then behind the other foot as you move along; repeat several times, then do the same with opposite feet. As a bonus challenge, try a reading exercise from a vision card, designed for stimulating the brain/visual system, while sidestepping.

• The cat jump: This activity is practice in case of a fall; the muscle memory of the movement will be etched in your body. Bend your knees in a squat. Jump a little off the ground with both feet, and land softly, like a cat, without jarring your body. Repeat until you are confident in your ability to prevent a spill.

"Research shows that most falls are preventable," Peterson says. "These and other exercises, performed regularly, are a great way to achieve safety and a revitalized lifestyle."

About Karen Peterson

Karen Peterson is founder and director of Giving Back, a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of elders through intergenerational mentoring. She has multiple certifications, including as a Brain Gym® instructor, educational kinesiologist, natural vision improvement instructor, Touch for Health instructor and a massage therapist. For 25 years, Peterson has been teaching these modalities to children, businesspeople, athletes, classroom teachers and adults of all ages and occupations.

This One to One training will be from 8:30 am until 2:30 pm at Broadway Presbyterian Church, 710 23rd St. Rock Island, IL. Sam Finkelstein of the Gamaliel Foundation will walk us  through the most important tool we have in building relationships and our communities: the One to One.

A one to one visit is an intentional, face to face conversation for the purpose of building a relationship, gathering information and understanding what really matters to that person.

This training is to help develop relationships within our organization,  our congregations and our community . Bring a team of leaders from your congregation to learn this essential tools and ways we can put this to use in building your congregation's ministries. This training is free but registration is required. Call 563.322.4910 to register or for more information. Light breakfast and lunch will be provided.

QCI Hosting Illinois Dept. of Transportation Secretary Anne Schneider for a Stakeholders meeting in April

Watch this Space! The Transportation Equity Task Force has organized a Transportation Jobs Stakeholders meeting with Illinois Secretary of Transportation Anne Schneider. This meeting will be held at Church of Peace in Rock Island, IL. QCI is bringing together elected officials, clergy, lay leaders, and concerned community members so we can get an update from Schneider on the progress of the rail project,  share our work on jobs and job preparedness for our community.  There are people who want jobs, and jobs coming, so how do we work together to fill in the  gap and ensure more our our community get those jobs. 
Community Members are welcome, however we require an RSVP. Please call QCI at 563-322-4910

"QCI Trivia Night Fundraiser"

On Saturday, March 2nd, 110 people attended the QCI Trivia Night. Thirteen teams joined in on some competitive fun to help us raise over $1,500! Tons of Raffle baskets were given away. We would like to thank the Bribiescos for running the game, our Chairman Joe who called the game, and everyone who donated basket prizes! Trivia Night would not have been a success without the help from QC community members.

3 Ways to Switch Up Strategies & Guarantee Your Income

If there's one thing Americans have learned from the financial crisis of 2008, it's that they do not want to lose their money - again - especially for folks of a certain age, says financial advisor Philip Rousseaux, a member of the esteemed Million Dollar Round Table association's exclusive Top of the Table forum for the world's most successful financial services professionals.

"Losing nearly everything you've worked for throughout your entire adult life is right up there with being diagnosed with a major medical condition; it means the lifeblood of your future has been drained," says Rousseaux, founder and president of Everest Wealth Management, Inc. (www.everestwm.com).

"Aggressive investment strategies that offer potentially huge rewards are fine for people younger than 40, but even they should have at least a portion of their retirement portfolio in investments that will provide a guaranteed income. The closer you get to your retirement age, or if you're already retired, the more important it becomes to change the tools in your financial toolbox."

Whether investors are decades or a just a few years away from retirement, or are currently retired - and whether or not they lost most, some or no money at all during the mass money meltdown - Rousseaux offers tips and tools to help you stay retired:

• Look for the hidden fees in your employer-sponsored 401(k). Last July 1, a new Department of Labor rule required all hidden fees attached to retirement plans and mutual funds be disclosed to employers and employees. By some estimates, up to 90 percent of fees attached to retirement plans are hidden! Get an accounting of all fees and if you can't decipher the information, attend a financial workshop or talk to a financial adviser. It may be time to roll some your money into a less expensive plan. According to an AARP survey, 71 percent of those with a 401(k) had no idea they were paying fees for their retirement accounts.

• Explore fixed-rate indexed annuities: Investing all of your retirement savings in Wall Street exposes you to a lot of risk. That may be acceptable when you're in the prime of your career, but it's important to find alternatives that provide for growth while protecting savings. "Fixed-rate indexed annuities, where you loan an insurance company money and it guarantees you payments over a specified length of time, allows you to forecast the income you'll generate," Rousseaux says. "While these annuities will have a ceiling on interest rates, they'll also have a floor. Your principal is safe and you can ride an up market without the risk."

• Turn your IRA or 401k into a joint account. For many people this may sound like a new concept, but this is something Everest Wealth Management has been using a planning tool for the last decade.  While it's true the IRA, which stands for Individual Retirement Account, is something only one person can own, many alternative investments such as a fixed annuity offer benefits such as guaranteed lifetime income.  Within these plans the owners have the option to guarantee income on both lives, thus creating a joint income for both the husband and wife.

• How much you have isn't as important as you think. For years planners have touted finding your magical number so that you can afford retirement.  This is simply not an accurate measurement and isn't what matters, according to Rousseaux.  "With interest rates at 60-year lows and people living longer due to health care advances, the priority in planning is how much income can you generate and will that income last for your lifetime."  The income your investments can generate is the key to successful retirement planning in the second phase, which Rousseaux calls the distribution phase.

About Philip Rousseaux

Philip Rousseaux is the founder and president of Everest Wealth Management and Everest Investment Advisors money management firm. A staunch advocate of objectivity in investment advice, he's a member of the Million Dollar Round Table, the international association of independent advisors whose members are held to a rigid code of ethics. He is the co-author of "Climbing the Mountain to Financial Success" and co-hosts The Money Guys show on CBS Radio in various cities.  Philip received his bachelor's in economics from Towson University and completed the Wharton School of Business's Investment Strategies and Portfolio Management Executive Education Program.