Anybody can fall, however some individuals have a better danger of falling than others. One of many components that will increase that danger is getting older. The truth is, in Canada, about 20% to 30% of individuals aged 65 years and older expertise a fall annually. The Public Well being Company of Canada (PHAC) experiences that about 85% of all injury-related hospitalizations for older adults are as a result of falls, a few of that are deadly.
As we age, we’ve got a better danger of falling for plenty of causes:
- Older individuals are likely to have extra issues with steadiness and muscle weak point than youthful individuals do.
- Many well being situations linked to getting old and falls embody dementia, coronary heart illness, low blood strain, shortness of breath, numbness within the legs or ft, and imaginative and prescient issues.
- Seniors usually tend to be taking drugs that may have an effect on their considering, make them drowsy or confused, have an effect on their imaginative and prescient or steadiness, or trigger dizziness.
Whereas not all falls trigger severe accidents, it is very important do not forget that some do and to take precautions to stop them. Among the many issues falls may cause are cuts and bruises, sprains, pulled muscular tissues, damaged bones, like hip, ankles and wrists, or head damage.
PREVENTION
There are a number of precautions that may be taken to cut back your danger of falling. Step one is to debate the medicines you’re taking along with your physician or London Medicine pharmacist. Ask them in case your drugs have unintended effects that might enhance your danger of falling. It could be attainable to cut back your dangers by adjusting doses, altering drugs, rearranging what time you’re taking them, or switching to different drugs with much less dangers of drowsiness or dizziness.
Consuming at common intervals and nutritious meals is is one other approach to assist safeguard your general well being, which, in flip, will allow you to keep robust and make it much less doubtless that you’ll fall. Fluctuations in blood sugar (excessive or low) may also make you unsteady in your ft. Speak to your physician about testing.
One other vital step is to be bodily lively. There are workouts particularly designed to assist enhance power, steadiness, and the power to stroll steadily. Earlier than beginning any new train program see your physician for an analysis. If acceptable, the physician could suggest that you just see a bodily therapist who can develop a program to fulfill your private wants.
The following step is to go searching your house and determine potential conditions that might trigger you to journey and fall. Then make any mandatory modifications to cut back your danger. Listed here are some options that may assist:
- Maintain bins, newspapers, electrical and telephone cords, and different tripping hazards out of walkways.
- Maintain excessive site visitors areas away from issues resembling small tables, plant stands, and journal racks.
- Be certain that rugs are secured to the ground.
- Insall sturdy handrails on stairways, and use them each time you go up or down.
- Retailer requirements the place they’re straightforward to succeed in so that you received’t need to climb up or get into an ungainly place to entry hem.
- Maintain your flooring dry. Clear up any spills instantly.
- Place non-slip mats in your bathtub or bathe, and a shower mat to keep away from drips on the lavatory ground.
When you find yourself outdoors, attempt to stroll in well-lit areas, use handrails the place out there and keep away from speeding. Be particularly cautious when stepping over curbs or when strolling on uneven surfaces.
Different issues you are able to do to assist shield your self embody:
- Put on low-heeled footwear that present correct help.
- Get common eye exams to make sure that your imaginative and prescient is sharp so that you received’t journey over stuff you don’t see clearly.
ASSISTIVE DEVICES
There are a bunch of merchandise referred to as assistive units that may assist stop falls and accidents. Listed here are some examples of the forms of units which can be out there and the way they may help:
- Assistive units resembling canes, crutches, and walkers can present help and enhance steadiness.
- A shower seat and a handheld bathe nozzle can permit you to sit whereas showering.
- Security seize bars and raised bathroom seats could make it simpler to get out and in of a bathtub and onto and off a rest room with out falling.
- Hip protectors will be worn to guard the hip bone from damage within the occasion of a fall.
- There are additionally units that may lengthen your attain and have “claws” on the finish that will help you grasp one thing you could’t attain by your self.
- Fall detection units, good watches or telephones will be worn to mechanically dial for emergency assist if a fall is detected, stopping a minor damage from changing into extra severe.
London Medicine carries a variety of assistive units, and your pharmacists may help you determine which of them could be best for you and methods to use them correctly.
