Why is fall prevention important?

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Here at OANA, we believe it is extremely imperative, our clients educated themselves on Fall Prevention. Among older adults, Falls are the leading cause of injury deaths, unintentional injuries, and hospital admissions due to trauma. Falls can take a serious toll on quality of life and independence.

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Therefore, we provided a few simple precautionary measures, provided by Mayo Clinic. It is essential, you review the information with your loves ones, to prevent serious injuries. 

Begin your fall-prevention plan by making an appointment with your doctor. Be prepared to answer questions such as:

• What medications are you taking? Make a list of your prescription and over-the-counter medications and supplements, or bring them with you to the appointment. Your doctor can review your medications for side effects and interactions that may increase your risk of falling. To help with fall prevention, your doctor may consider weaning you off medications that make you tired or affect your thinking, such as sedatives and some types of antidepressants.

• Have you fallen before? Write down the details, including when, where and how you fell. Be prepared to discuss instances when you almost fell but were caught by someone or managed to grab hold of something just in time. Details such as these may help your doctor identify specific fall-prevention strategies.

• Could your health conditions cause a fall? Certain eye and ear disorders may increase your risk of falls. Be prepared to discuss your health conditions and how comfortable you are when you walk — for example, do you feel any dizziness, joint pain, shortness of breath, or numbness in your feet and legs when you walk? Your doctor may evaluate your muscle strength, balance and walking style (gait) as well.

Physical activity can go a long way toward fall prevention. With your doctor's OK, consider activities such as walking, water workouts or tai chi — a gentle exercise that involves slow and graceful dance-like movements. Such activities reduce the risk of falls by improving strength, balance, coordination and flexibility.

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If you avoid physical activity because you're afraid it will make a fall more likely, tell your doctor. He or she may recommend carefully monitored exercise programs or refer you to a physical therapist. The physical therapist can create a custom exercise program aimed at improving your balance, flexibility, muscle strength and gait.

Consider changing your footwear as part of your fall-prevention plan. High heels, floppy slippers and shoes with slick soles can make you slip, stumble and fall. So can walking in your stocking feet. Instead, wear properly fitting, sturdy shoes with nonskid soles. Sensible shoes may also reduce joint pain.

Take a look around your home. Your living room, kitchen, bedroom, bathroom, hallways and stairways may be filled with hazards. To make your home safer:

• Remove boxes, newspapers, electrical cords and phone cords from walkways.

• Move coffee tables, magazine racks and plant stands from high-traffic areas.

• Secure loose rugs with double-faced tape, tacks or a slip-resistant backing — or remove loose rugs from your home.

• Repair loose, wooden floorboards and carpeting right away.

• Store clothing, dishes, food and other necessities within easy reach.

• Immediately clean spilled liquids, grease or food.

• Use nonslip mats in your bathtub or shower. Use a bath seat, which allows you to sit while showering.

Keep your home brightly lit to avoid tripping on objects that are hard to see. Also:

• Place night lights in your bedroom, bathroom and hallways.

• Place a lamp within reach of your bed for middle-of-the-night needs.

• Make clear paths to light switches that aren't near room entrances. Consider trading traditional switches for glow-in-the-dark or illuminated switches.

• Turn on the lights before going up or down stairs.

• Store flashlights in easy-to-find places in case of power outages.

Your doctor might recommend using a cane or walker to keep you steady. Other assistive devices can help, too. For example:

• Hand rails for both sides of stairways

• Nonslip treads for bare-wood steps

• A raised toilet seat or one with armrests

• Grab bars for the shower or tub

• A sturdy plastic seat for the shower or tub — plus a hand-held shower nozzle for bathing while sitting down