{"id":871,"date":"2018-03-12T09:00:09","date_gmt":"2018-03-12T09:00:09","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.flnavigator.com\/health\/?p=871"},"modified":"2020-10-03T01:36:47","modified_gmt":"2020-10-03T01:36:47","slug":"are-you-at-risk-for-falling-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/flnavigator.com\/healthfairs\/2018\/03\/health-care-2\/are-you-at-risk-for-falling-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Are You at Risk for Falling"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\">Are You at Risk for Falling<\/span><\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\">By Robert Goodman, MSW<\/span><\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\">Falls are a major issue for older adults and can be prevented. Most falls occur at home and can lead to fractures, trauma, and death. <\/span><\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\">1.&nbsp; Over 13 million older adults fall every year;&nbsp;1 of 3 if over 65, and 1 of 2 if&nbsp;over 80 years old.<\/span><\/span><br \/>\n&nbsp;<span style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\">2.&nbsp; 2.2 million older adults are treated in the ER for falls.<\/span><\/span><br \/>\n&nbsp;<span style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\">3.&nbsp; 40% of nursing home admissions are fall related.&nbsp;<\/span><\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\">4. In 2009, about 20,400 older adults died from unintentional fall injuries.<\/span><\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\">There are a number of causes of falls among the elderly. They include: <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\">Lack of physical activity and muscle weakness<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\">Balance and gait problems<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\">Visual impairment<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\">Mobility impairment<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\">Cognitive impairment<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\">Drop in blood pressure when standing up<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\">Fear of falling<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\">Alcohol abuse<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\">Inappropriate footwear<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\">Environmental hazards.<\/span><span style=\"font-size: large;\"> One third of all falls in the elderly population involve hazards at home. Factors include: poor lighting, loose carpets and lack of safety equipment.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\">Chronic health problems that can increase fall risk significantly&nbsp;are:<\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\">Arthritis<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\">Obesity<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\">Functional limitations impairing mobility (Diseases such as Parkinson&#8217;s, Alzheimer&#8217;s, COPD, Pain, etc.)<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\">Multiple medications<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\">Hypertension<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\">Diabetes<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\">Falls can be prevented by taking care of yourself and making changed in your environment. The following suggestions will help reduce the chances of falling\/<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\">Be physically active and exercise regularly.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\">Improve the lighting in your home, Keep an easy to reach lamp near your bed.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\">Move items to make them easier to reach. Arrange furniture to allow for clear pathways.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\">Get rid of loose (throw) rugs, especially if you have a visual disability. Be sure rugs are securely fastened to the floor.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\">Install grab bars in the bathroom (shower and near toilet)<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\">Clear clutter from floors<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\">Avoid slippery floors<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\">Be careful carrying heavy or bulky things up or down stairs<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\">Have Your Medicines Reviewed <\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\">Limit the amount of alcohol you drink. Even a small amount can affect your balance and reflexes.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\">Choose Safe Footwear<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\">Be careful while walking and talking or texting on a cell phone.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\">Have Your Blood Pressure Checked When Lying and Standing<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\">Get a Vision Check-Up<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\">Wear your eyeglasses so you can see your surroundings clearly. <\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\">Check your medications:<\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\"> Some medicines\u2014or combinations of medicines\u2014 can have side effects like dizziness or drowsiness. This can make falls more likely. Having a doctor or pharmacist review all your medications can help reduce the chance of risky side effects and drug interactions.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\">If you fall, or are afraid of falling, be sure to discuss the fall with your doctor, even if you aren&#8217;t hurt. Many underlying causes of falls can be treated or corrected.<\/span><\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\">There are a number of devices that can help prevent falls, but one must remember to use them. They include: canes, walkers, reachers, and emergency medical alerts. <\/span><\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\">People living alone should have a medical alert to contact the fire\/rescue in the event of a fall. Friends and neighbors should check on their neighbors who live alone and are isolated. <\/span><\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\">To help prevent falls, We Care and Boca Raton Regional Hospital have joined forces to offer a series entitled \u201cA Matter of Balance\u201d. This 8 week series will be repeated often. Check with the class office for details on future sessions.<\/span><\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\">(Sources: http:\/\/nihseniorhealth.gov\/fall, www.cdc.gov\/features\/fallrisk, Pam Hapke (Easy Living Program)<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Are You at Risk for Falling By Robert Goodman, MSW Falls are a major issue for older adults and can be prevented. Most falls occur at home and can lead to fractures, trauma, and death. 1.&nbsp; Over 13 million older adults fall every year;&nbsp;1 of 3 if over 65, and 1 of 2 if&nbsp;over 80 [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[12],"tags":[44,50,62,71,86,87,116,123],"class_list":["post-871","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-health-care-2","tag-accident","tag-aging","tag-caregiving-2","tag-disabilities","tag-falling","tag-falls","tag-home-health-care-2","tag-injury"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/flnavigator.com\/healthfairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/871","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/flnavigator.com\/healthfairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/flnavigator.com\/healthfairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/flnavigator.com\/healthfairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/flnavigator.com\/healthfairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=871"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/flnavigator.com\/healthfairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/871\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1883,"href":"https:\/\/flnavigator.com\/healthfairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/871\/revisions\/1883"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/flnavigator.com\/healthfairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=871"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/flnavigator.com\/healthfairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=871"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/flnavigator.com\/healthfairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=871"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}