life. health. wellness.
Preventing Falls
By Jennifer Footit-Tank, RN, CCP, quality care coordinator at Network Health
E
very year, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services sends a Health Outcomes Survey (HOS) to randomly selected Medicare members. This survey asks you various health questions about your health outcomes. If you receive a survey, answer all the questions completely and honestly. The results are used to measure quality initiatives and identify areas for improvement. One important topic covered on the HOS is the risk of falling. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports one out of four people age 65 and older falls each year, but less than half tell their doctor.
Falls and balance issues A fall is unintentionally landing on a lower level without being pushed. All falls are serious enough to discuss with your doctor, because falling is not a normal part of aging. While it may have felt like it only happened because a rug was in the wrong place, it may have been a combination of factors that lead to the fall. If you haven’t experienced a fall but have felt dizzy, lightheaded or had the sensation of the room spinning while walking or when still, this could be a sign of balance issues. Other indicators of balance issues include tripping while walking, leaning to one side or feeling like you are going to tip over when bending over. Without good balance you could be at increased risk for a fall or be unable to complete your daily activities, which results in decreased independence.
How can my doctor help me with falls or balance issues?
Your doctor will ask you about the events around the fall or unsteadiness to figure out why it happened. During this discussion you will talk about what could have prevented it and then work to develop a plan for preventing future falls and imbalance.
Prevention strategies include the following. • • • • •
Medication changes • Vision or hearing exam Wearing different shoes • Blood pressure management Bone density screening to assess your bone strength • Improve lighting and/or install handrails in your home Increase physical activity that focuses on balance • Use cane or walker, if needed Referral to community-based programs that specialize in falls prevention programs, such as wihealthyaging.org or Wisconsin Institute for Healthy Aging at 608-243-5690
Take charge of your health by reaching out to your doctor to discuss any concerns you may have about falls and balance. Contact Network Health’s Quality Health Integration Team at QI@networkhealth.com or 866-709-0019 (TTY 800-947-3529), Monday–Friday from 8 a.m.
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