Fall Prevention

Every year, nearly one in three adults age 65 and older fall, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Your risk of falling increases as you age. Although many falls don’t cause serious injury, falls remain the cause of nearly all hip fractures and the most common cause of traumatic brain injuries. Still, almost half of the adults who fall don’t tell their doctor or family, fearing a loss of independence or a potential move to an assisted living facility.

While falls are a real danger for older adults, they aren’t an inevitable part of aging. Simple precautions can reduce your fall risk long before an injury happens. In fact, careful adaptation can allow you to stay in your home and in control of your life even after a fall. Falls can be prevented, especially if you know where to look.

4 Steps to Help Prevent Falls
 

1. Stay active. As you age, you will lose some coordination, flexibility, and balance— primarily through inactivity. Staying active is the simplest way to reduce fall risk and keep up regular activity to maintain core muscle and leg strength as you age. Avoid engaging in strenuous exercise, and choose activities that are pleasurable such as walking or yoga.

2. Watch for warning signs. Falls rarely happen without warning. Often, people will start showing signs of instability, balance or frailty. Recognizing these warning signs can reduce the risk of falls and the hospitalizations such as:

• Unsteadiness walking. Unsteadiness over even and uneven surfaces. A safety evaluation with your primary care provider may recommend  physical therapy  or a mobility aid such as a cane or walker.
• Vision problems. Worsening eyesight makes it harder to see edges, tripping hazards, and obstacles which makes it difficult to maintain balance. An eye exam can help you identify any vision problems.
• Medication side effects. The medications you take may have side effects that could compromise your stability and balance. For example, blood pressure medicine, diuretics and antihistamines may cause lightheadedness or dizziness. You should do a careful review of your medications—both prescription and over the counter medication—with your primary care provider.
• Chronic conditions: More than 80% of older adults have at least one chronic condition like diabetes, stroke, or arthritis. Often, these increase the risk of falling because they result in lost function, inactivity, depression, pain, or multiple medications.

3. Remove risks at home. The key to living at home is to acknowledge and adapt to limitations instead of suppressing them. Rather than improving their surroundings, many older adults become fearful and decrease their personal space. This reduction in activity, increases the risk of falling further and has psychological risks.The following are the most common risk areas in the home:

• The bathroom. The bathroom is uniquely risky since it requires moving between many varied positions. Use nonslip mats in your bathtub or shower, use a bath seat, which allows you to sit while showering. Installing grab bars in the shower to assist in getting in and out.
• Uneven floors. Thresholds, rugs, thick carpets and floor clutter can be dangerous for adults with balance issues or reduced step height. Once you’re aware of these areas, secure loose rugs with double-faced tape, tacks or a slip-resistant backing — or remove loose rugs from your home, floor clutter and other uneven surfaces will reduce your fall risk.
• The kitchen. Working in the kitchen often requires many changes in position, including bending down, turning and pivoting. Store dishes, food and other necessities within easy reach.
• Low light. The ability to see in low light decreases with age. Use brighter light bulbs, place night lights in your bedroom, bathroom and hallways, and turning on the lights before going up or down stairs will help increase visibility to your surroundings.
• Stairs. Stairs should be used as long as it remains safe to do so. Adding a hand rail increases security and confidence.

4. Report a fall. Being as open as possible about your fall is vital to your long-term safety. Since many people think that falling is an indicator of decline, they may try to keep it quiet so they won’t have to leave their home. However, covering up your fall means that there’s no opportunity for your doctor to understand the circumstances surrounding the fall. This increases the chance of another, potentially more serious fall in the future. Your physician will help you take the steps necessary to continue to live your life as fully as possible.