Falls: Its Impact on Seniors and How to Prevent Them

According to the CDC, millions of seniors aged 65 and older fall. While many falls do not result in injuries, one out of five falls can cause a major injury such as a head injury or a broken bone. Having these injuries may affect the way senior moves around or performs their day-to-day activities. These can also make it difficult for them to live independently, as any home health aide would tell you.

Falls are serious. Every year, 3 million seniors are treated for fall injuries in emergency departments. More than 800,000 patients are also hospitalized yearly due to a fall injury, most of the time because of a hip fracture or head injury.

Furthermore, the CDC states that there are certain factors that contribute to falling, including vision problems, foot pain, lower body weakness, and vitamin D deficiency, to name a few. Most of the time, falls are caused by a combination of these factors. An individual may have a greater chance of falling if they have several of these risk factors.

Our home care in Fairfax, Virginia, and other areas in northern Virginia such as the counties of Loudoun and Prince William, can help your loved ones reduce their risk of falls. The following fall prevention tips may also help:

• First, know why seniors fall.
  There may be a combination of reasons that affect a senior’s ability to remain upright. While it is difficult to resolve or reverse each issue, it does pay to review them and determine which ones can be fixed or reduced.
• Determine the fall risk factors.
  There are some things that contribute to falling. These are known as risk factors. Risk factors include chronic illnesses, home hazards, and medication side effects. Understanding the fall risks can help determine what measures need to be taken.
• Develop a customized fall prevention plan.
  Bear in mind that seniors typically fall due to different risk factors that increase their vulnerability to falling or an event that triggers a fall. Making changes to the home environment and encouraging your loved ones to do strength and balance exercises will help, but it is best to let your home care provider understand their fall risk factors. This way, they can develop a customized plan that addresses these risks and create the most viable solutions.

Are you concerned about your loved ones falling? Do you want to help them avoid falls? You can count on Mint Home Care for support. We make your loved ones our top priority!

For more information about our home care and companion care in McLean, Alexandria, and Arlington, Virginia, please contact us.