by Chloe McGrath
It’s Fall Prevention Awareness Month, so we wanted to share on this very important topic. When was the last time you lost your balance and fell? You may not recall or perhaps didn’t give it much thought. While falling may be insignificant for some, it is a major health concern for older adults aged 65 and older.
Each year, millions of our elderly loved ones are sent to emergency rooms for fall-related injuries, so it is important to help keep them safe. Devastating injuries, such as brain damage and hip fractures, can leave them unable to live independently within the comforts of their home.
Risk Factors and Causes of Falls
Falls are frequently linked to declining motor and fine motor skills. Risk factors can include:
Dizziness
Joint pain
Problems with vision
A history of falls
Gait impairments
Poor footwear or foot discomfort
Muscle weaknesses
Vitamin D deficiency
Use of medications (such as antidepressants)
Sensory deficits
Cognitive impairments
Lack of balance
Having weakness (as a result of medical conditions such as Parkinson’s and stroke)
Lethargy
Everyday objects in your home and environment can cause falls. Uneven floorboard, tile flooring, and throw rugs can interfere with someone’s to move. In addition, clutter is also a factor.
You can lower your risk of falling or assist a loved one in avoiding falls!
Ways You Can Help!
There are some easy accommodations you can make to make your home more accessible. This can include installing grab bars in showers and bathtubs, remove or rearrange unneeded furniture making personal and communal spaces larger, so that they can move around comfortably, and if possible, making your loved one’s bedroom space on the main floor so they don’t have to utilize stairs.
Some additional ways you can help your elderly loved ones include:
Balance and strength training
Utilizing a call button
Ensuring glasses are the right prescription
More natural light
Utilizing non-slip mats for bathtub and shower floors
We want to acknowledge the importance of fall prevention because awareness can make all the difference for you and your elderly loved ones living more confidently and safely.
Assisting Hands Home Care can help!
As we all understand, falls are dangerous, scary, and can happen quickly, but know that you can find relief with Assisting Hands Home Care. We provide services such as accompanying your loved ones on walks, bathing and dressing assistance, meal preparation for nutritious meals and foods high in vitamin D, and cleaning and clearing away clutter that could lead to falls.
Call us at 815-884-CARE right away to schedule a free consultation!
Sources
Ang, Guat Cheng, et al. “Approach to Falls among the Elderly in the Community.” Singapore Medical Journal, Singapore Medical Association, Mar. 2020, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7905119/.
“Facts about Falls.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 6 Aug. 2021, https://www.cdc.gov/falls/facts.html.
Fuller, George F. “Falls in the Elderly.” American Family Physician, 1 Apr. 2000, https://www.aafp.org/pubs/afp/issues/2000/0401/p2159.html.
Pelicioni, Paulo H S, et al. “Falls in Parkinson’s Disease Subtypes: Risk Factors, Locations and Circumstances.” International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, MDPI, 23 June 2019, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6616496/.
Rao, Shobha S. “Prevention of Falls in Older Patients.” American Family Physician, 1 July 2005, https://www.aafp.org/pubs/afp/issues/2005/0701/p81.html.
“Older Adult Falls.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 6 Sept. 2022, https://www.cdc.gov/falls/index.html?CDC_AA_refVal=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cdc.gov%2Fhomeandrecreationalsafety%2Ffalls%2Findex.html.
