Fall Prevention
As we age, our risk of falling increases. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), every year, one in three adults age 65 or older falls. The CDC reports that one out of five falls in people over the age of 65 causes a serious injury, such as a broken bone or head injury.
A Peace Aging Care Experts care manager can work with you to develop ways to help prevent falls. This may include:
- Working with your physician to develop an exercise program
- Checking your medications to ensure they aren’t causing they aren’t creating a problem
- Making recommendations for making the home safer, which may include:
- Removing clutter and create clear pathways throughout your home
- Making sure the home is well lit – add nightlights in hallways, bedrooms and bathrooms
- Installing handrails in the bathroom, a particularly risky place for falls
- Putting nonskid flooring throughout the house
- Working with a home care company to provide assistance with certain activities that may cause a fall, including cleaning hard-to-reach areas of the home, accompanying you on a walk, or assisting with a physician-approved exercise program
With a little planning and preventive maintenance, falls can be greatly reduced, making it easier for you to move through the world more safely.