Slips and falls are a leading cause of injury, especially amongst children and seniors. But while most children recover without lasting complications, older adults are significantly more likely to be hospitalized, with people over the age of 75 experiencing the most serious consequences.

Fortunately, prevention is far from problematic. With a little effort and understanding, the odds of accidents can be reduced, while the balance, strength, and coordination needed to prevent future accidents can be increased.

Why is it important to prevent falls in the elderly?

For the elderly, falls can be fatal, or they may lead to traumatic injury or a fracture, or if you are among a lucky few, you can get away with a fall without any injury.

But even then, mentally you will develop a fear of falling, which may restrict your lifestyle. You would start avoiding activities like going out for a morning walk, and eventually increase risks of co-morbidities due to a sedentary lifestyle.

Besides, the financial burden on the healthcare system in the U.S. can also be substantially reduced by preventing falls in the elderly as much as possible. Fall victims invariably end up in the emergency or the intensive care unit leading to large medical bills.

Where do most falls occur in the elderly?

Falls can occur anywhere, but there are some places where a senior is at a higher risk of falling.

Bathrooms

Bathrooms can be problematic for seniors moving around because there are slippery surfaces. Falling over in the shower or on bathroom floors is dangerous for elderly people because they are more likely to cause serious injury to themselves on a hard surface.

Older adults have a slower reaction time so they’re less likely to put their hands out in time to stop a fractured leg, hip, or worse skull.

Ladders

Seniors shouldn’t be climbing ladders, but sometimes it’s impossible to get your elderly parents to listen. Falling off a ladder can cause serious injury. If you’re concerned about the safety of your senior parents on ladders, at least suggest being there to stand down the bottom of the ladder or have someone else present who can watch them at all times. At the minimum, they can use ladders meant for seniors.

Trip hazards

Whether there are cords or rugs lying on the floor or objects that haven’t been tidied up, these can cause serious injury to seniors in the home. Outside the home, there are even more trip hazards including gardening tools or hoses.

To a younger person, these items may not seem dangerous but to an older person, they can have some very serious consequences.

How can you reduce the risk of falls in the elderly?

Depending on the relevance of the major reasons in your case, the risk of falls in the elderly can be minimized in the following ways

Do regular exercise

·        It pays to be as physically active as possible in your old age through light physical exercises like yoga and walking. Regular exercise will go a long way in strengthening your lower body muscles and prevent cardio-vascular diseases as well as musculoskeletal conditions. This will significantly reduce your chances of a fall due to dizziness or stroke – the two most lethal reasons behind falls in the elderly.

·        In case you are mobility challenged it is always a good idea to take the support of crutches or a manual wheelchair to move around inside the house. If you are headed out, you should consider using a wheelchair for outdoors.

·        Always get enough sleep so that you do not feel disoriented during the day

·        If you are prone to low blood pressure, always try and get up slowly from a supine or sitting position to avoid sudden dizziness.

Wear a health monitor watch

A personal alarm is critical in supporting seniors living on their own. There are a number of different types including health monitor watches that can detect falls.

These watches can provide seniors and their families peace of mind as they go about their day. If the elderly person experiences a fall and is unable to move, she can activate their personal alarm to get in contact with an emergency response center in order to get help quickly.

Make sure you are taking the recommended dose of medication

According to Dr Brandy Archie, taking an overdose or an underdose of any medication may cause dizziness or lightheadedness. This can lead to falls.

To ensure that you are taking the right dose of your medication and on time, use a pillbox with an alarm. It will dispense the right dose of medication and remind you when to take it.

References

1.      https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1694056/

2.      https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11231681/

3.      https://www.cdc.gov/injury/wisqars/

4.      https://respectcaregivers.org/fall-risk-education-for-elderly/

https://parentishealth.com/home-health/elderly-fall-prevention-tips-strategies-to-stay-safe/