Homes are filled with a variety of ways older people can
slip and fall and be injured. Throw rugs, loose carpeting, frail bones and weak
joints, poor eyesight and weakness can send a senior to the floor and into the
hospital with fractures and related injuries. Health Briefs TV takes time to
review fall prevention tips for seniors.
Thirty percent of older adults report falling down once in
the past year, according to a survey taken by the US Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention. That figure jumps
higher when factoring in poor vision. Below are a few suggestions to prevent such
accidents:
- Remove throw rugs in the home.
- Clear all clutter away from hallways and add night lights so older family members can see their way to the bathroom or other rooms in the home.
- Be sure older folks get regular eye exams. These are often neglected.
- Encourage the older people in your life to engage in low impact balance and strength exercises. These can be recommended by a doctor or physical therapist. Many communities have senior centers where exercise classes are given for free or at a very low cost.
Falls are a leading cause of injury for senior citizens.
More than 700,000 older people fall each year and are sent to the hospital.
Head trauma, hip fractures, and other injuries occur when someone falls. Trips,
slips and falls are preventable. Health Briefs TV suggests families of older
folks with impaired vision or a high risk of falling to find and remove any
obstacles than could prevent injury.
We know that the older people in our lives still want to
keep their independence. We can help them with this by kindly pointing out what
can cause an accident and injury around them. Disability, short or long-term,
can result from a bad fall. Prevention is the key.
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| (image:seniorcarecentral) |
