Fall Prevention
According to the CDC, more than one out of four people fall each year. That equates to millions of people, aged 65 and older. Falls don’t always result in death or injury, but based on CDC data one out of five falls do. These injuries could be anything between a broken bone to a head injury. Some choose to not tell their doctor and others end up hospitalized. Regardless the result of the fall, every fall should be treated as serious.
Falls in older adults often have a root cause. The CDC refers to causes of falls as risk factors. Risk factors are incredibly important to note because most can be treated or adjusted to help prevent falls. Common problems that contribute to falls are: lower body weakness, vitamin D deficiency, difficulties with walking or balance, use of certain medicines, foot pain and vision issues. Common hazards unrelated to health are poor footwear and home risks. Home risks can include things such as uneven stairs, rugs that slip when stepped on and a cluttered area. The greater amount of risk factors a client has, the greater their risk of falling.
Falls are something seniors, and their family members, should prepare for and do their best to make proper safety precautions. The CDC’s first prevention technique is to talk to your doctor. Doctors can evaluate your risk factors to determine how likely you are to fall or not, as well as give you things to prevent falls specific to you. Doctors can review current medications and decide if they are too risky, evaluate your vision and suggest taking additional vitamin D supplements if needed. Strength and balance exercises can also be helpful in preventing a fall. These exercises can include anything from Tai Chi to something as simple as balancing on one foot. Lastly, making the home safer is often an easy prevention technique. To start simple, any clutter that could be potentially tripped over should be put away. Home improvements can also be made. Better lighting, grab bars in bathrooms and extra railings on stairs are all things that could be added to a home for safety.
A mobile physical therapy clinic shines in helping with fall prevention. Our caring, experienced therapists can assess your current risk factors and suggest prevention tips each time they visit the client’s home. With your therapist seeing your home in person, they can pick up on things you may have forgotten to mention to your doctor. It's important to remember that things a professional might find important, a client may not understand. Reducing a client’s need to travel and push their mobility eliminates a huge hazard as well. The less risk factors and fear someone has, the better their quality of life and hiring a mobile physical therapy clinic is a great step in the right direction.
For more information about exercises to prevent falls, follow this link to the Johns Hopkins Medicine website.
For more information about falls and fall statistics, follow this link to the CDC website.