We recently connected with Lindsey Nguyen and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Lindsey thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Was there a moment in your career that meaningfully altered your trajectory? If so, we’d love to hear the backstory.

I believe that it is not so much one defining moment in time for me, but rather, an accumulation of professional experiences and human interactions that has impacted my new sense of purpose for my community.

My skill and expertise is working with adults and older adults to rehabilitate after injury, surgery, or a medical event that has caused them to function below their usual abilities. Abilities as basic as standing up to brush their teeth; rolling over in bed to get comfortable and sleep; bending over to pick up a grandchild; or simply stepping into their vehicle, to name a few. For the past decade, I have worked primarily in the inpatient rehabilitation setting where I can spend weeks with the same patient learning about their young adult life, their hobbies before the injury, and immediate events leading up to hospitalization.
One cause of hospitalization, elderly adult falls, became more prevalent and a common theme unmistakable – it could have been prevented. I came to the realization that the aging population as a whole seem to concede that falling is just a part of aging. And I wholeheartedly disagree. Falling might be common, but it is not normal!
So I began to ask myself, what is the missing link? Why are there so many unintentional older adult falls and what can I do to make a positive impact? I believe there is a need to actively seek out older adults and reach them exactly where they are – in their own homes! And here is why. When I work with my patients during their 1-2 week hospital stay, I have the pleasure of seeing their progress each day and often being able to walk out of the hospital. When they discharge home, and go back to their usual routines, something happens. They end up falling. Why is there such a high occurrence of repeat falls that require re-hospitalization? I wonder why am I welcoming my patient back into the hospital again so soon? I ask them what happened when they went home. And they often tell me they lost motivation to do their exercises. They do not have purpose to leave their homes. If they do not socialize outside of the home, their health and mobility begin to deteriorate.
As a clinician and daughter to aging parents, I see the need for the elderly to have continued guidance for exercise, the importance of in-person socialization and the option to participate in various aspects of the human experience to enrich their quality of life.
So, I am now in the early stages of living out my sense of purpose for my community by providing an in-home service to older adults for balance and fall prevention. I have the expertise, compassion and desire to use my knowledge to close the gap for these individuals and their families. I want to help them work toward having peace of mind that the aging parent is able to stay in their own home longer, independently, and avoid hospitalization or nursing home placement.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I am born and raised in East Dallas, a first generation Vietnamese-American with parents who really set the standard for working hard and caring for others. In high-school, I knew I wanted to be in health care and by college, I was sure about Physical Therapy. My mom tried to steer me toward accounting, but I knew I did not like numbers or sitting in cubicles all day. Physical therapy fits my lifestyle and personality because I get to work with people, stay active throughout the day, and feel a sense of purpose as I aim to make a positive impact on my patient’s lives with each interaction. My personality type is ENFJ – The Giver. And my profession suits me perfectly!
But I did not feel like it was enough. Eventually, I realized the public health crisis of falls among older adults 65 and older. Unfortunately, working within the hospital, I meet those who have already sustained serious injury and consequences of their unintentional fall-I was too late. I meet the adult children who scramble to take off work or organize caregivers to care for their elderly parent who now has a broken hip. The impact goes beyond the individual who sustained the fall. It extends to their elderly spouse, siblings, adult children and grandchildren. The financial burden, too, is greater than the high cost to medicare, but also to the family members who now have to widen the bathroom door to fit a wheelchair, or decide between taking time off of work or hire an all-day caregiver. Or even the potential for nursing home placement which can be devastating for the previously independent older adult.
I really began feeling compelled to share my knowledge and expertise regarding balance and fall prevention BEFORE an older adult sustains a fall. I am confident that many falls can be prevented with consistent skilled training and education. That is how I started Aging and Balance LLC. I have organized a framework using evidence-based assessment tools, educational resources, and balance and exercise training that have been shown to produce positive, measurable change in reducing an older adult’s risk of falls. My services are provided directly in the patient’s home and can be extended to the community for functional training if needed to return to hobbies or recreational activities.
The first step is an Initial Assessment where I will go through a home safety checklist to identify fall hazards in the clients home. Then, I provide a printed report with recommendations for changes to be made that can reduce the risk of falls. I have a preferred contractor who specifically modifies home for the elderly if a referral is requested. During this time, I will also administer a several applicable standardized tests to capture a baseline of my client’s functional strength, gait speed, balance and flexibility. With this information, I will be able to develop a tailored program to address my client’s specific deficits that may contribute to altered mobility and increased fall risk.
The second step is a choice between an 8 or 12 session package where I continue to work with my client in their home. I use objective data I gathered from the initial assessment to provide specific interventions needed to improve my client’s strength, flexibility, posture, balance reactions, and more. I educate and empower my client to continue performing their prescribed exercises on their own each day to ensure progress and carryover each day. One goal of mine is to also involve any family members, caregivers or friends to help the older adult stay accountable and consistent toward their mobility goal.
In addition to one-on-one training, I would love to offer group classes and lead a free monthly or weekly social walking group. I believe in the value of socialization for older adults for physical and mental well-being. There are numerous workout groups for young people in the community – why not have something available for older adults!
My passion is to address this public health crisis head-on by being available to the greater Dallas communities, providing a specific, skilled service and to educate older adults and their families that falls can be prevented and are absolutely not a “normal” part of aging.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

Having three children all about seventeen months apart while working full-time taught me more about resilience than anything else ever could. Those early years required a constant grit and a quest for balancing responsibilities. I’d go from managing morning routines with three little ones straight into a full day of treating patients, then coming home to start the second shift of parenting and managing home-life.

It wasn’t easy, but it strengthened me in ways that now define how I approach both life and work. I learned how to stay steady under pressure how to find small moments of peace amid chaos, and how to show up fully – whether for my children or my patients. Running a household, being a present mom, and continuing to give to others through my work as a Physical Therapist required deep perseverance, but it also gave me a clear sense of purpose. Those experiences shaped not only my resilience, but also my empathy and commitment to helping others move through their own challenges, one step at a time.

I must, however, acknowledge the support from friends and family that I relied on to make it through especially challenging times. Learning how to receive help allowed me to continue to give of myself to others.

Do you think you’d choose a different profession or specialty if you were starting now?

Yes, I would choose the same profession again. Being a Physical Therapist allows me to connect with people on a meaningful level while staying physically active and engaged throughout my day. A combination that fits me perfectly. After 10 years in the field, I can honestly say I still wake up for work each morning without that feeling of dread so many people talk about. I didn’t always love school, but once I began studying subjects that genuinely interested me in Physical Therapy school, I knew I was on the right path. After a decade of developing my knowledge and skills, I love that I have honed in on a specialty, balance and fall prevention, that has given me a new purpose and goal. This career has been both rewarding and fulfilling, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything else.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://agingandbalance.com
• Instagram: aging_and_balance
• Other: https://calendly.com/agingandbalance