This Is Falls Prevention Week
"A fall is defined as an event that results in a person coming to rest inadvertently on the ground or floor or other lower level." – The World Health Organization
Falls are the second leading cause of unintentional injury deaths worldwide, according to the World Health Organization. In this country, an estimated one in four older people fall each year, though less than half tell their doctor.
In my own life, I'm helping to care long distance for my mother. She still lives in the house I grew up in – very comforting and familiar to her, but not well designed to aging in place. Despite my family's best efforts to try to tempt her to move someplace that's more senior friendly, she's not going anywhere! So, as a compromise, we have worked to modify her environment and reduce safety risks. She's now got a stair lift chair, grab bars in multiple locations around the home, and we even did some minor modifications to her split-level floor plan after a fall she experienced in her kitchen.
She was very lucky not to sustain more serious injuries, but it did open the conversation to improvements to which she could agree. Home health nursing, physical therapy and occupational therapy all provided excellent advice in a way we could all accept, and there are companies that specialize in providing accessibility modifications in patients' homes. So while we can't eliminate all risks for her, she is now much more cognizant of the things she can do to prevent a fall and retain what she considers most important – her independence.
Not all falls result in injury, of course, but about 37% of those who fall report an injury that requires medical treatment or has restricted their activity for at least one day. This week is a good time for each of us, whatever our age, to identify and mitigate fall risks in our own environment and those of older family members. The National Council on Aging, the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention and the Washington State Department of Health all offer some excellent resources:
5 Simple Ways to Prevent Falls and Maintain Your Independence When You Age
Avoid Falls at Home: 5 Easy Ways to Make Your Home Safer
Finding Our Balance Mobility Checklist
My Mobility Plan
