Falls Amongst Adults

I try to keep current on all the topics I give talks on by reading newspapers, magazines, going to various websites, etc. and updating my talks as needed. I came across an article recently from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention and updated my Retirement talk with some of the info. While the article is mainly for older adults over 65, the messages resonate for all of us, our parents, aunts and uncles or grandparents. Most of the stats in this post are from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

I will share some stats and then discuss what we all can do to try and prevent falls. I think we all know someone who has fallen recently. Just about everyone I know has fallen in the past 2 years and not just on ice or snow. I fell 2 years ago in downtown Newburyport on the ice, landed on both my knees and both hands. Luckly nothing happened except a little soreness for a few days. One person I know fell on the ice, went backwards and broke bones in his shoulder and had surgery. Another person tripped on a matt on the floor of a fitness center, fell, broke his hip, and had to have surgery. My mother fell and broke her hip taking the garbage out--there was frost on the grass.

* 1 out of 3 adults 65 and over falls each year.
* For those over 65, falls are the leading cause of injury death.
* In 2007 18,000 died from fall injuries
* In 2009, 2.2 million nonfatal fall injuries among older adults were treated in emergency rooms and 581,000 were hospitalized
* Direct medical costs of falls totaled $19 billion
* Falls are the most common cause of traumatic brain injuries
* Many people who fall, even if they don't get injured, develop a fear of falling. This could limit their activities, which could lead to losing their mobility and loss of physical fitness, which actually increases the risk of falling.

So what can we all do to try and prevent falls?
* Exercise regulary! There's that word again! Its amazing how it keeps coming up in all these posts. I go to the YWCA 3 times a week mainly to use 11 Nautilus machines so I keep my bones and muscles strong and flexible, especially the leg muscles. Tai Chi programs are also good.
* Have an annual eye exam and keep the prescriptions for your glasses up to date.
* Have your Dr. review all medicines to check for possible side effects that could cause dizziness or drowsiness
* Get checked for osteoporosis and make sure you get sufficient calcium and Vitamin D
* Keep everything off the stairs, either going up to the bedrooms or down to the basement.
* Make sure there is good lighting on stairs, front steps, back steps, etc.
* Every fall (no pun intended!), go to your favorite hardware store and get several bags of traction sand and deicer and keep cans handy for the front and back steps.
* Install railings on your front steps and back steps. Our front steps don't have any railings and I was getting the paper one morning and there was a sheen of ice I didn't see and down I went! Luckily I did not get hurt. We are installing railings this spring!
* Add grab bars and railings inside the house and shower and bathtub
* Watch the warm days when snow melts and then cold nights when everything freezes. Black ice is there waiting for us in the morning.
* Pickup your feet and don't shuffle around
* Always be aware of your surroundings, especially if you are out walking. Potholes, cracked sidewalks, tree roots, etc can turn a routine walk to the corner store into an adventure.
* Don't forget the mailman and the delivery men and folks visiting you. Keep the steps and walkways shoveled, sanded and de-iced.
* When its icy out and you are out and about, wear something like Yaktrax, which fit on the bottom of your shoes and provide traction on the ice.
And just to repeat the best thing we can do to try and prevent falls is to EXERCISE! So lets all get out there and do something! Thanking you for your time, this time, until next time. FRAN