Falls and fractures: Facts and tips that may limit falls

(BPT) – As we age, we begin to learn – sometimes firsthand – how devastating a fall can be. It isn’t quite as easy as it once was to hop back up and continue on our way.

Each year, more than one in four Americans aged 65 and over experience a fall, which contributes to roughly 3 million emergency room visits and nearly 30,000 deaths per year, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

While the majority of falls are non-life-threatening, they can take a serious toll on quality of life and independence.

The good news, however, is that most falls are preventable.

“Being aware of the risk factors and taking the proper precautions can reduce your chances of serious injury, and help you maintain and improve the quality of your health and remain independent,” said Dr. James Metcalf, a medical director with UnitedHealthcare Medicare & Retirement.

Read on for important risk factors and tips for avoiding falls:

  • Lower-body strength – People who have weaker lower bodies or have trouble with balance and walking should take extra precautions. Do exercises that can strengthen your legs and improve balance.
  • Medication – Any time you get a new prescription, ask your pharmacist or doctor about side effects like dizziness or drowsiness. These can affect your balance.
  • Footwear – Pay attention to foot pain as it may be a symptom of poor footwear. Make sure your shoes fit appropriately and are comfortable. Wear low-heeled shoes with rubber soles for good traction. Generally, avoid wearing slippers, shoes with leather soles or high heels. See a doctor if you are experiencing foot pain.
  • Clutter – Most falls happen at home. Rugs or objects in your way can be problematic. Remove clutter, fix steps that are uneven and make sure there is adequate lighting throughout your home.
  • Physical support – If you don’t already have them, install grab bars and handrails in the bathroom and on stairways. Use a cane, walker, crutches or anything else that will help make walking easier.
  • Hearing and vision – Get your vision and hearing checked regularly. Problems with hearing or sight can throw off your balance and coordination. Ask your doctor if you could benefit from some vision or hearing aids.

“Falls are more common than many people think, and all of us are susceptible,” said Metcalf. “So be aware of risks from your medications, stay active, clear your home of trip hazards and talk to your doctor about strategies you could try to avoid a potentially devastating fall.”

Avoiding Fall-Related Breaks and Injuries

fall prevention in the elderlyAs seniors age, their quality of life often suffers due to the inability to perform many of life’s activities due to a loss of mobility. When an injury occurs due to a fall, the situation worsens. Taking a few steps to help your loved one avoid common injuries occurring as the result of a fall is well worth the effort. Just use the following fall prevention tips to help keep your loved one safe from harm.

Secure Power Cords

Loose cords make it easy to trip. Take a look through the home and take note of the location of electrical cords to lamps, radios, televisions, and computers. Wherever possible, tuck the cords safely behind furniture to minimize the risk of having someone trip on them. You can also use area rugs that stay securely in place to keep the cords out of the way.

Avoid Moving Furniture

It’s always a good idea to refrain from rearranging the furniture in a senior’s home, particularly if forgetfulness is an issue. People get used to the placement of furniture, and it’s easy to rely on memories when walking throughout the home, especially at night.

Install Grab Bars

Even a young person can fall when getting out of the tub. Installing grab bars near the tub provides a safety measure that is useful for everyone.

Never Leave Items in Unusual Places

It is important to return items to their normal location if you want to prevent falls. At the very least, you should avoid leaving things out on the floor where they can easily cause someone to trip.

Encourage an Exercise Routine

Keeping a loved one strong and healthy can help to prevent falls. If possible, enroll your loved one in an exercise routine that encourages balance and stability. You might be able to hire someone to come in and conduct this type of program or do it yourself if you have the time.

Oversee Medication Usage

It is important to review your loved one’s medications to understand if any of them cause dizziness. Knowing what to expect can help you to prepare against the possibility of falling within the home.

Arrange for Vision and Hearing Screenings

Poor vision and/or hearing can increase the likelihood of a loved one experiencing a fall within  the home. Arranging for annual vision and hearing screenings can help to prevent this type of incident from occurring.

If you are responsible for fall prevention in the elderly, you probably already know that the risk of injury due to a fall is likely to happen unless you take steps to prevent it. As people age, their dexterity and mobility are reduced, making it necessary to take additional steps to prevent falls within the home. It’s important to review the living situation along with your loved one’s capabilities if you want to prevent injuries from an unexpected fall.

Fall prevention – Your Solution Against Falls

We hope this article answered some of your curiosities. If you are interested in our in-home medical alert systems or if you have further questions regarding fall prevention, SafetyWatch team members are here to help you.

Contact us or call 727-330-7767.fall prevention

Falls in the Elderly: Causes, Risks, Management

As age progresses, vigor and muscle strength begin to wane. This can lead to a multitude of problems in the later stages of life. Among them, the risk of falling is not one to be taken lightly.

Falls in the elderly are a prevalent issue in the community. They occur more frequently than it is left to believe. Annually, over 40% of elders are victims of such accidents and 75% of these prove to be fatal.

And often times, many other falling cases go undocumented.

Physicians are often left unaware that a fall may have occurred because, due to social pressure, elders are hesitant to report these kinds of incidents.

In this article, we will analyze what are the main causes, risks and ways to manage falls in the elderly.

falls in the elderly

What Are the Main Causes?

Falling can occur from a multitude of possible reasons. It is accepted the chronological age of 65 is that of elderhood. As people get past this age, a number of factors set in play a big part in the occurrence of falls:

  • Intrinsic factors: this category covers the factors which are related to the onset of old age. As the quality of eyesight, depth of field, balance and muscle power begins to decline, basic locomotor functions are affected. This is a direct cause which leads to accidents.
  • Extrinsic factors: a slew of other factors which may cause falls are related to the environment where the elder walks around. For example, environments which demand greater postural control such as slippery surfaces, slopes, bumpy roads are more likely to lead to accidents.
  • Situational factors: decisions or activities which lead to changes in behavior. For example, situations where the elder needs to rush for a traffic light or to catch a bus.

What Are the Risks of Falling?

Falls in the elderly can lead to injuries and hurt. Many of these cases can yield a high risk of mortality, with head trauma being the main cause behind this.

However, there are many other implications which may result from these accidents, especially if they are left unreported.

In some other situations, the elder has a high risk of mortality if there are no means of getting up or someone to help. It is especially important to attend to these situations with urgency, as this significantly boosts the chances of survival.

How to Manage Falls in the Elderly

The key to best address this issue is to focus on preventing falls from occurring. Patients should report locomotor problems to their physician in an open manner.

Also, education on the issue plays a big role in helping the elder accept the need for locomotor aid.

In the case of unavoidable falls, it helps to manage the placements of objects around the house, making open paths for elders to be able to walk without issues.

If, however, a fall does occur, the best course of action would be to provide immediate aid to the elder.

Safety watches are personal safety devices used to alert relatives or authorities in cases of accidents, such as falling, for example.

Our in-home medical landline alert systems are devices which offer immediate distress calls in case of such emergencies.

Your Solution Against Falls

We hope this article answered some of your curiosities. If you are interested in our in-home medical alert system or if you have further questions, the SafetyWatch team members are here to help you.

Contact us or call 727-330-7767.

Getting help after a fall improves the chance of survival by 80% and increases the likelihood of a return to independent living.

The risk of falling increases with age and declining muscle function reduces the ability to get up. If an older person is unable to get up off the floor after a fall, the risks of any fall are far greater because of the complications that can ensue from lying on the floor for a long time—for example, pressure sores (often exacerbated by unavoidable incontinence), carpet burns, dehydration, hypothermia, pneumonia, and even death. The high proportion of seniors not transferred to the hospital, the inability to get up has a poor prognosis in terms of injury and recovery following a fall. Lying on the floor for a long time is thus one of the most serious consequences of a fall. Read more Getting help after a fall improves the chance of survival by 80% and increases the likelihood of a return to independent living.

12 Tips to Avoid Falls

Wear shoes and slippers that have non-slip soles. Avoid wearing socks only – they might cause you to slip.

  • Be extra careful if your bathroom floor becomes wet. If your bathroom has handrails, hold onto them when getting up or down. Make sure non-slip strips are in your bathtub.
  • If you wear a bathrobe or nightgown, be sure it is short enough to avoid tripping on.
  • Don’t leave any clothes, magazines, bags, or other objects lying around on the floor – you might trip over them.
  • Place loose electrical cords or telephone wires out of walking areas.
  • Before you go to sleep, place your glasses within easy reach. Get out of your bed or chair slowly. Sit up before you stand.

Read more 12 Tips to Avoid Falls