Slips, Trips & Falls
The month of September is the time of year when we look to raise awareness of the risks and dangers of falling down. Most of us have at one point or time seen or heard of the commercial promoting a life-saving service where the camera zooms in on an elderly woman writhing in pain on the floor as she moans, “Help! I’ve fallen and I can’t get up.” The commercial has provided fodder for comedians for years but the grim truth of the reality is that thousands of elderly people die every year from the simple act of falling down in their home with no help available to assist. It sounds almost ridiculous that a person should die from falling on their kitchen floor but it happens…every day.
According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) approximately 2.8 million elderly persons (age 65 or older) are admitted to the emergency room each year to receive treatment for slips, trips and falls. Of that 2.8 million, almost a third of those fall patient end up staying in the hospital because of the seriousness of the fall. Most cases where the patient is admitted to the hospital for at least an overnight observation those falls have resulted in a hip or head injury. Over twelve thousand elderly men and women die each year from complications directly due to a fall. That is a thousand people a month…roughly 33 people per day all because they fell down and the shock to their body was too much. The leading risk factors as described by the CDC are weakness in lower body strength, vitamin D deficiency, medication that affects balance, poor vision and walking hazards like rugs, uneven floor surface or lack of handrails for stairways. Most falls occur when a combination of risk factors are present but any of these risk factors is enough to cause a serious fall and injury.
In order to combat these risk factors there are steps that an individual could take in order to help reduce or even eliminate some of these risks. The first step in reducing the risk of falling is talking to your family physician and discussing the risks of falling…discuss the medications you’re on and how they make you feel and modify the dosage if needed. Taking a vitamin “D” supplement can also help reduce the risk of falling. Developing an exercise routine that allows the strengthening of the lower body, working on balance skills and having eyesight checked can also greatly reduce the risk factors of falling. The most obvious and often most overlooked way of reducing risks are the physical environmental factors of the individuals home. By removing tripping hazards such as area rugs, fixing poor floor or walkway surfaces and reducing clutter this allows for better walkways. Installing better lighting for improved visibility as well as making sure handrails are secure or installing additional handrails for added security can also alleviate risks in the home. For people who live on their own, having a bracelet or other such devise that is on the body at all times could also be an added measure for those who have a higher likelihood of falling.
As always thanks for reading, if you or anyone you know might be at risk of a falling injury, please feel free to reach out and express your concerns. There are agencies that can help do home audits and help give safe advice on steps that can be taken to make the home a safer place to be. Please share and if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to call or email me. I hope everyone has a safe week moving forward, take care of yourself and each other, remember, we’re all in this together.
Wm Reid
Best Home Care Services
325 N Eastern Ave
Connersville, IN 47331
765-827-9833
wmreid@bhcshealth.com