Ths is the time of year when falls happen most often, but they do happen all year long and are extremely dangerous, especially to seniors. The stats are not good. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), one out of every five falls results in a serious injury, such as a bone fracture or head injury.
Older adults in particular need to take special care because they have bones that are more fraglie and other physical attributes that can make falls more serious and dangerous. At BrightStar Care/North-Suburban, we take a unique approach to decreasing fall risk by pairing our unmatched clinical expertise with key patient education resources and expert advice like the tips you'll find below. Don't slip up and think falls won't happen to you or a loved one. They happen thousands of times a day.
One great resource
"Speak Up: Reduce Your Risk of Falling", published by the Joint Commission of Accredidation (the largest accrediting organization in the U.S.), highlights the major reasons why people fall and offer some very tactical and practical steps you can take to help reduce the likelihood of a fall. Be sure to check it out.
Many great ideas to fall back on, include:
Older adults in particular need to take special care because they have bones that are more fraglie and other physical attributes that can make falls more serious and dangerous. At BrightStar Care/North-Suburban, we take a unique approach to decreasing fall risk by pairing our unmatched clinical expertise with key patient education resources and expert advice like the tips you'll find below. Don't slip up and think falls won't happen to you or a loved one. They happen thousands of times a day.
One great resource
"Speak Up: Reduce Your Risk of Falling", published by the Joint Commission of Accredidation (the largest accrediting organization in the U.S.), highlights the major reasons why people fall and offer some very tactical and practical steps you can take to help reduce the likelihood of a fall. Be sure to check it out.
Many great ideas to fall back on, include:
- Taking care of your health: exercise often to increase your strength, don't get dehydrated, have your eyes checked, get checkups regularly.
- Common sense precautions: Turn on the lights when you enter a room, use handrails on stairs, wear shoes that don't slip (toss out the slippers or what about putting an extra pair downstairs by the TV)?) and never walk down the stairs in your socks.
- Small changes you can make to your home: Give yourself a helping hand with the "Clapper" -- or similar device that your can use to turn out the lights without getting up. Watch your step at night and use nite lights; keep the floor and stairs clear, toss out those area rugs that are so easy to trip over, put frequently used items in easy reach so you don't need a step stool.