Fall Prevention Newsletter

Thursday, October 12, 2017

Did you know in the United States an older person dies every 20 minutes from a fall? That’s 74 older adults every day, and 27,000 a year! An older adult falls every second of every day! Falling is something that needs to be taken very seriously, and should not be ignored. While not all falls result in injury, the more falls someone has the more likely they are to have a serious injury. Falling is also linked to a decrease in independence and an inability to remain living at home.

There are measures that can be taken to reduce the risk for falls. The first thing to do is talk openly about falls with your doctor or family members. Most people are afraid to report falls because they don’t want to lose their independence. There are many things that can be done to help keep a person’s independence if they are willing to ask for help. One very important thing to do is keep moving. Exercises for leg strengthening and balance can significantly reduce fall risk. Getting your eyes checked on a regular basis also has a large impact on reducing falls. Making your home safe is also important in preventing falls. Some things you can do to improve the safety of your home are keeping the home clutter free, removing rugs, adding grab bars and railings where needed, and having plenty of light in the bathrooms and at stair ways.

Physical Therapists and Occupational Therapists are great resources if you are concerned about falls because they are experts at reducing a person’s fall risk through exercise and home assessment. If you would like more information you can call Cozad Community Physical Therapy at (308) 784-2231. We also have provided links to some resources from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) related to falls and what can be done to help prevent them.