Last year, right before turning 65, I fell twice. The first fall took me down 4 of my basement steps and left me with a gash in one knee. Then a month later, I slipped on ice while walking my dog. This fall resulted in a leg fracture, surgery, and a long healing process on crutches. I realized I was aging, and that falls have to be treated as ongoing risk.
Aging moves us into a higher risk category for falling: 1 in 3 adults over 65 will fall each year according to studies and statistics. For those over 65, falls are the highest cause of hospitalization, and the medical costs of falls for older adults can be high with ER visits, hospitalization and treatment. So, why do older adults fall? Are falls just a part of “normal aging”?
The risk factors include vision impairment, muscular weakness, cognitive issues and environmental obstacles. Medications can put us at risk, since some affect our blood pressure or cause a sedative effect. Our bodies also do not respond to postural chances as quickly as they used to, and a sudden disturbance and need to adjust our bodies leave us at risk of falling.
Fortunately, we can approach these problems pro-actively, whether for our own benefit or for the benefit of an aging family member or friend. Along with addressing risk factors to lessen the probability of falls, community elder health programs exist that offer individualized assessment and programs. These can help us build balance and strength, skill building around knowing the risk factors, improve decision making in daily activity, and managing the fear of falling.
It is good to know we can be pro-active and lessen the chance of falls. There are tools to help keep us upright so we can continue to age with grace and strength! Here are some links to discover programs in your area:
National Falls Prevention Resource Center
National Council on Aging
https://www.ncoa.org/article/evidence-based-falls-prevention-programs
Administration for Community Living
Leave a Reply