Fall Prevention Strategies for Older Adults

For people with loved ones getting older, helping prevent falls should be top of mind. #FallsPreventionAwarenessWeek serves as an important reminder that falls are the leading cause of injury and injury-related death among adults 65 and older.   As a geriatrician, I’ve seen the impact falling can have on a person’s physical and mental well-being. Here are four tips I share with patients and caregivers: 1.    Work on improving your balance, especially activities that require side-to-side movement and an emphasis on leg and core strengthening such as tai chi or yoga. 2.    Schedule hearing and vision exams, as untreated hearing loss and poor eyesight can contribute to a greater risk of falling. 3.    Take steps to “fall proof” your home, such as installing grab bars as needed, ensuring you have plenty of light and removing potential trip hazards like cords and throw rugs. 4.    Review all your medications with your care provider to avoid prescriptions that can increase the risk of falling.    Check out this article to learn more about exercises that can help prevent falls: https://lnkd.in/eenp5RGd   #HealthyAgingMonth 

There are two important stats that we need to keep in mind for the remainder of this decade. Firstly, as of 2022 data, one senior falls once every second. Once every 11 seconds, that fall gets reported. That means 10 falls go unreported in that same time frame. EVERYDAY 7,500 seniors go to the hospital for injuries as the result of a fall. 78,500 falls go unreported. Falls related to medications, environmental obstacles, sedentation, and embarrassment. (P.S. not weakness or “balance”). Secondly, we are going to add a net of 22 million seniors to our population before the end of this decade. Those falls numbers are destined to increase….drastically…exponentially. The need for in-home caregivers is going to increase. The need for assisted livings facilities is going to increase. All of which cost our country $66B annually. We cannot afford this. Hospital stays will get shorter. Office visits with your “doctor” will get shorter. There is a simpler way. The CDC reported recently that a Home Safety Assessment completed by an Occupational Therapist certified to look at the home (CEAC, EHCM, or CAPS) can reduce falls by 61%! That’s $36B we could save just by moving some furniture, adding lighting, using the proper ambulatory device and sitting down to shower. Simple. MIE will be here when people figure this out. We’ve been helping seniors and people with disabilities for over 5 years with this exact issue. While others will come try to “help” just remember…the ADA does not apply to your home, vertical grab bars are useless, your kids don’t want to live with you, you don’t want to live in the spare bedroom next to your grandchildren and most importantly, ALL FALLS ARE PREVENTABLE! #aginginplace #fallprevention #fallsprevention #callbeforemomfalls #communitysupport

Being able to safely remain in their homes does not just happen for aging parents. Falls in the home is a leading cause of aging parents having to leave their homes or increasing the workload of their adult children. One cause of falls is visual impairment. You can improve safe Aging in Place by having your loved one’s vision checked and making changes to accommodate for their specific visual impairment—allowing for increased independence and decreasing injury risks and as a result you can lighten the load of caregiving. If you already have concerns about them falling but haven’t taken steps to lower fall risks and even allow them to have greater independence, why the delay? Don’t wait until after a fall to act. #agerelatedmaculardegeneration #glaucoma #cataracts #homesafetyassessment #fallprevention #occupationaltherapy #aginginplace #familycaregiver #caregiver