Helping the elderly avoid falls

Helping the Elderly Avoid Falls On average, most hospitals see 3-5 patients over the age of 65 on a daily basis due to falls. Many of these falls result in broken bones and surgical procedures to correct them. It is a very common occurrence in emergency rooms across the country.

- The older we get, the less muscle we have. The person may have at one time been a great athlete, and they may still be in good shape, but the bottom line is that they are not as young as they used to be.

It may be difficult for some people to accept that, so they continue on as they did in previous years. That is, until they have an injury.

Broken hips account for about one half of all surgeries performed by orthopedic surgeons. Sadly, many times an elderly person breaks a hip they are not quick to bounce back and some never recover from the injury. After a break to the hip, it is painful to begin movement.

The surgical site hurts, the break itself is sore, and no one wants to try and stand when pain is involved. For a young person, they have incentives to get mobile quickly, not so much in the elderly. Many senior citizens opt to give up after a fall, and they never really recover.

As an older person becomes less mobile they have a tendency to go downhill.

- Balance is another reason older people may fall. As the body ages, sometimes the ability to maintain perfect balance leaves us. Where someone may have previously been able to walk a tightrope, now they may do good to walk down a sidewalk without falling over, it's just nature, sorry everyone.

- Drops in blood pressure can create dizziness upon standing, which can initiate a fall. Older patients with the problem of being light-headed when they first stand, should practice rising slowly, and stand in one place for a minute to ensure they are safe to proceed walking.

- Foot pain is another main cause of falls in the elderly. Making sure to address any foot discomfort can ensure the patient stays on their feet.

Related: The ABCs of Nursing Hospitalized Fall Patients Most patients that have fallen are going to wear a risk of fall bracelet so that no one attempts to have them rise on their own. They may require assistance during their hospital stay to go to the restroom and especially to shower, which is where many falls occur in the elderly. For patients that may be suffering from memory problems, it may be necessary to use an alarm mat that will alert when they attempt to stand.

Preventing Falls The absolute best way to avoid an elderly person being hospitalized from a fall, is to have them avoid the fall altogether. There are things that can be done within the home to help prevent falls.

- Make sure all surfaces are even. When you step from one surface to another it can cause a person to tripor lose their balance, ultimately causing a fall.

- Secure carpeting and rugs. An area rug may sometimes have ends that curl up slightly, which is an accident waiting to happen. That is very easy to trip over, and it could be avoided all together. For new rugs that have that crease, use a heavy object to hold the rug down until it lays naturally.

- Make sure rugs are not going to slide when stepped on they can turn into a flying carpet if not careful.

- Keep objects removed from pathways. Kids or pets can leave toys throughout the house, and stepping on a plastic toy could cause a bad fall.

- For homes that have pets, take extra caution. Pets have a way of getting directly under your feet, and can cause an older person with limited balance to fall. Pet may also have accidents from either end that could create a slick area on a hard surface.

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Keep floors and walking paths free of debris, and advise elderly people to always observe where they are walking. This will ensure their path is safe to walk on and they can avoid it if it is not. If you have a hospitalized fall victim, encourage them to get a home assessment for safety purposes.

Many insurance companies will provide this service free of charge. County aging services may offer similar services that can help prevent falls and offer safety tips for senior citizens.

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