It’s one of the biggest fears for folks over age 50, and with good reason! Every 13 seconds, an older adult is treated in the emergency room for a fall, and every 20 minutes, a senior dies from a fall!
September 22, 2016 (the first day of fall!) is the 9th Annual Falls Prevention Awareness Day. This event, sponsored by the National Council on Aging (NCOA), raises awareness about how to prevent fall-related injuries among older adults. The theme of this year’s event is Ready, Steady, Balance: Prevent Falls in 2016.
You Only Thought It Was True…
Here are some falls “myths”–debunked–from NCOA:
1) Myth: Falling happens to other people, not me.
Reality: Falls can happen to anyone; 1 in 3 older adults fall every year in the U.S.
2) Myth: Falling is a normal part of aging.
Reality: Falling is not a natural part of aging. We can all take steps to decrease the risk of falls (see below).
3) Myth: I can avoid falls if I stay at home.
Reality: More than half of all falls take place at home. My clients and my mother have all fallen more at home than at other locations.
4) Myth: Muscle strength and balance can’t be regained.
Reality: While we do lose muscle strength as we age, it’s never too late to start an exercise program–especially strength (resistance) training–to partially restore strength and flexibility for protection against falling.
What You Can Do to Protect Yourself (or Loved Ones)
Here are six steps to help prevent falls. You can use this information to protect yourself, your spouse, friend or older adults:
1) Check your environment.
Make sure your home (or that of an older loved one) is well lit in all areas, and lightbulbs are replaced regularly; remove tripping hazards such as small rugs and wiring that gets into walking areas; install grab bars in bathrooms and tubs/showers.
2) Scrutinize medications.
Have your healthcare provider look closely at all medications–prescription and over-the-counter. Side effects may increase the risk of falling; take only as prescribed.
3) Consider vision and hearing.
Problems with your eyes and ears can increase your risk of falling. Get your vision and hearing checked annually, and keep eyeglasses updated.
4) Talk to your healthcare providers.
They can help assess your risk of falling and refer you to valuable resources.
5) Talk to your family members.
Enlist their support, they’ll be happy to assist in keeping you safe and independent.
6) Improve balance and gait, and muscle strength.
Keep moving! Look for a program to build balance, strength and flexibility. Contact your local Area Agency on Aging or senior center for referrals. Find a program you like and take a friend.
NOTE: Please contact me for more information on fall prevention, balance and strength training.
To talk in an unbiased format, take advantage of my FREE CALL. I promise to give you a few tips and things to look at immediately, plus we can discuss if any of my programs or classes are a good fit.
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