FRANKLIN ATHLETIC CLUB eretz SUMMER ANDREW LAVIN FAMILY SWIM CLUB Aging Aids Ben-Gurion University explores technology to help seniors adapt. SHARI S. COHEN CONTRIBUTING WRITER A JOIN NOW AND ENJOY FULL MEMBER PRIVILEGES EVENTS POOLSIDE VISIT FRANKLINCLUB.COM/SWIMCLUB OR CALL 248.352.8000 EXTENSION 235 MAY 25TH JUNE 2ND JUNE 18TH JUNE 24TH JULY 11TH JULY 22ND JULY 28TH AUG 5TH AUG 19TH AUG 27TH CYCLE UNDER THE STARS HIP HOP YOGA ADULT POOL PARTY BINGO + ICE CREAM PARTY KIDS NIGHT OUT SWIM PARTY BOOTCAMP & BBQ KIDS NIGHT OUT SWIM PARTY MOVIE UNDER THE MOONLIGHT ZUMBA DAY PARTY KIDS NIGHT OUT SLEEPOVER FAMILY FUN DAY 7PM 7PM 2PM 5PM 6PM 7PM 7PM 9AM 7PM 2PM FRANKLIN ATHLETIC CLUB 29350 NORTHWESTERN HWY SOUTHFIELD, MI 48034 FRANKLINCLUB.COM FRANKLINCLUB.COM #GETFITWITHFAC 46 May 25 • 2017 jn s the years pass, ordinary often resulting in a broken hip or pelvis objects may seem heavier and requiring surgery and a long recupera- harder to grasp. Pavement tion. seems less even. Even healthy “Balance loss increases ABOVE: JN individuals experience chang- after 60, and muscle strength Contributing Writer es and challenges as they and power decline,” explains Shari Cohen tests grow older. With an increasing out Pepper, a robot Itshak Melzer, Ph.D., a profes- elderly population in the U.S. sor in Ben-Gurion University’s designed to help and other countries, social Department of Physical seniors. scientists and health care pro- Therapy. viders are investigating ways “Sixty percent of falls occur to promote health and independence during locomotion and the best way for older adults. to train is to walk. You have to do the At Ben-Gurion University in Be’er same or a similar function,” he adds. Sheva, Israel, researchers are studying Melzer has developed a balance the use of small, human-like robots recovery program with a virtual real- to assist older adults with household ity component that simulates a fall. A chores and post-stroke rehabilitation. person being trained wears a harness Shelly Levy-Tzedek, Ph.D., who connected to a treadmill that initially heads the university’s Cognition, Aging creates the experience of walking down and Rehabilitation Lab, has modified the street. The sensation of failing a humanoid robot she has named — a controlled perturbation — is pro- Pepper to help older adults with rou- grammed into the device and the indi- tine tasks and serve as a rehabilitation vidual’s balance reaction is measured. assistant. “Most balance recovery programs “There are many robots in industry, are static, but with this you learn from where they are good for precision, as your experience how to recover,” he well as in agriculture and the military. says. Ben Gurion-University has sold There is a robotic chef in the United the license for the device to MediTouch Kingdom,” she says. and it is available in multiple countries. Levy-Tzedek is testing “socially Up until age 40 or 50, individuals assistive robots” that can help seniors need only two seconds and four steps with exercise and other movements. to recover after a fall, while the elderly Specially designed games help connect require five or six seconds and 10 steps, individuals with the robot that might Melzer explains. Individuals with bal- otherwise seem intimidating. ance problems take longer to recover. Communication with Pepper is Repetition and training on the achieved through a small screen device can improve results, even for mounted on its chest or by touch- 80-year-olds. “People learn how to ing the robot’s out-stretched hand. fall. Old people can learn new tricks,” “Ninety-five percent of older adults Melzer says. preferred touching Pepper’s hand to However, Melzer’s research has touching the screen,” says Levy-Tzedek. shown that if training stops, bal- In addition to companionship and ance gains regress after six months. assistance with some tasks, the robot Continuous training is essential to can help with rehabilitation, augment- maintain optimal balance and fall ing expensive sessions with a physical recovery ability. • therapist. A 60-person study is under Shari Cohen participated in the 12th annual way to test the robot’s effectiveness for physical therapy. American Associates, Ben-Gurion University Technology may also help the elderly of the Negev Murray Fromson Journalism avoid falling — a common occurrence Fellowship.