Anyone can fall. But as we age, our risk of falling becomes greater. When a fall occurs at any age it is always associated with some kind of risk, but more so when it happens to a senior. The Government of Canada reports that falls are the leading cause of injury among older Canadians with 20-30% of seniors experiencing at least one or more fall each year.
Also falls cause 85% of seniors' injury-related hospitalizations, 95% of all hip fractures, $2 billion a year in direct healthcare costs, and over one-third of seniors are admitted to long-term care following hospitalization for a fall.
That’s the bad news. The good news is that falls can be prevented. The first step to preventing falls is to understand what causes them. For example, poor balance, decreased muscle and bone strength, reduced vision or hearing, and unsafe conditions in and around your home can increase your chance of falling. Staying safe and on your feet is a matter of taking some steps to protect yourself.
You can prevent falls by making the needed adjustments to your home and lifestyle, and by making sure you eat well, stay fit, and use whatever devices will facilitate your daily life while keeping you safe.
Tips For Making Your Living Conditions A Safer Place Inside Out to Preventing Fall:
- Stay Active and Engage in Regular Exercise: Regular physical activity is key to maintaining strength, flexibility, and balance, all of which are crucial in preventing falls. Simple exercises like walking, swimming, or tai chi can help improve muscle tone and coordination, reducing the risk of falls.
- Regularly Review Medications: Certain medications can cause dizziness, drowsiness, or other side effects that increase the risk of falls. Review your medications with your healthcare provider regularly to ensure they are not contributing to your risk of falling.
Outside The Home:
- Do your outdoor stairs, pathways or decks have railings and provide good traction (i.e. textured surfaces)
- Are the front steps and walkways around your house in good repair and free of clutter, snow or leaves?
- Do the doorways to your balcony or deck have a low sill or threshold?
- Darkness is not your friend – It is highly recommended to walk or commute in areas that are well lit. Keep a flashlight on you at all times for the unavoidable areas that may require it to be used, such as stairwells, some hallways etc.
- Stay aware of your surroundings – The whole idea is to make sure you know what is going on around you. Keep alert and be sure to scan your surroundings as you walk around the neighborhood. This can help you avoid potential threats by simply crossing the street or making a quick detour.
- Blend in and stay away from being flashy – Do your best to hide expensive jewelry while walking or traveling, anything that can draw attention or give an attacker the thought of attacking for quick snatch and grab. Your purse should be held close to you and not easily accessible from others.
- Remove the element of surprise – It is good practice to let people know you are aware of them. It could be as easy as a simple nod of respect or quick glance. A long stare should be avoided as it could be shown as an act of aggression. Nothing wrong with letting people know that you are alert though.
Inside The Home:
- Are all rooms and hallways in your home well lit?
- Are all throw rugs and scatter mats secured in place to keep them from slipping?
- Have you removed scatter mats from the top of the stairs and high traffic areas?
- Are your high traffic areas clear of obstacles?
- Do you always watch that your pets are not underfoot?
- If you use floor wax, do you use the non-skid kind?
- Do you have a first aid kit and know where it is?
- Do you have a list of emergency numbers near all phones?
- There are several additional measures you can take to further reduce the risk of falls and enhance your safety at home.
Personal emergency response systems (PERS) are mainly for the older population and people with disabilities to easily call for help in an emergency. The advanced Personal Emergency Response system comes with push-button easy to use a two-way communication system. Quick connect to a trained operator who can contact emergency services to provide immediate assistance, GPS alert fall detection. Our Personal Emergency Response System can possibly save your life or help reduce the severity of an injury.
A mPERS device can reduce your stress level by simply knowing you have something in a case of an emergency
