As part of National Fall Awareness Week, we bring you 6 tips and tricks to help prevent falls among older Americans.
Every 11 seconds, an older adult is treated in the emergency room for a fall. Making small changes and taking proactive steps can help to prevent falls that could potentially change your life in a negative way.
6 Steps to Fall Prevention:
1. Find a Good Balance and Exercise Program
- Find an exercise program that you enjoy that focuses on building up your balance, your strength and your flexibility.
2. Talk to Your Health Care Provider About Falling
- Ask your health care provider to perform a falling risk assessment. Discuss a past falls, history of falling, or any other factors that can contribute to falling.
3. Regularly Review Your Prescriptions with Your Doctor and Pharmacist
- Medications can have various side effects that can increase the likelihood of a fall. Reviewing the side effects of medications and looking at what medications cannot be mixed is very important. Some medications can impair hearing and vision, which can increase the chances of falling.
4. Get Your Eyes and Ears Checked Regularly
- Your eyes and ears are the key to keeping you on your feet! Regular visits to have your eyes and ears checked are a major factor in fall prevention. Make sure that you keep your glasses up to date. Falling is less likely if you can see the hazards in your way.
5. Keep Your Home Safe
- Remove tripping hazards, improve lighting, install grab bars, and make stairs safe. Small modifications can make a huge difference in your home.
6. Talk with Your Family and Friends About Fall Prevention
- Talk with them about the changes you need to make for your safety. Get them on board with your plan. Falling is not just a senior issue.