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If you're a 75-year-old (or older) female living alone, you have the greatest probability of having a fall. Add to that an acute illness, medications, alcohol use, poor lighting, vision problems, and a few throw rugs and you're an accident waiting to happen.
People who have fallen once become fearful of falling again.They may start walking in more of a shuffle than a full step, but this puts them at more risk. They are not lifting their foot and walking heel to toe, so they're more likely to catch their foot on something and fall.
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| The National Council on Aging (NCOA) |
| CDC |
| Mayo Clinic |
| National Osteoporosis Foundation |
Falls are preventable!
Medication management is important because taking pills improperly or having negative drug reactions can lead to confusion, dizziness, drowsiness and other cognitive states that increase instability.
Seniors should consult with their doctor and pharmacist about any drug-drug interactions with the medications they are taking and learn how a new medication should be taken. They should also use reminders, such as pillboxes, to help them take their pills properly.
Prescription Painkiller Overdoses ( PDF -460KB, 12 pages) |
Drug Disposal Information |
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Falls are the number-one
cause of injury and hospitalization
among older adults in the U.S.
Everyone stumbles once in a while, but when a frail older adult falls, the results can be life altering, even fatal. Of those seniors who survive their falls, many suffer serious injuries, including hip fractures and head trauma. Once hospitalized for a hip fracture, approximately 40 percent never live independently again.
Falls are a major threat to the health and independence of older adults, people aged 65 and older. Each year in the United States, nearly one-third of older adults experience a fall. About one out of ten falls among older adults result in a serious injury, such as a hip fracture or head injury, that requires hospitalization. In addition to the physical and emotional pain, many people need to spend at least a year recovering in a long-term care facility. Some never return to their homes.
Many older adults, as well as their family members and caregivers, are unaware of factors or behaviors that put them at risk of falling, and are also unaware of what actions they can take to reduce their risk. Fall risk factor assessment is rarely a part of an older adult’s routine health care, even if they have had a fall or fall injury. All older adults should be encouraged to seek an individual fall risk assessment from their healthcare provider, especially older adults with a history of falls and/or with mobility or balance impairments who are at highest risk for falls.
Falls are not an inevitable consequence of aging, but falls do occur more often among older adults because fall risk factors increase with age and are usually associated with health and aging conditions. Usually two or more risk factors interact to cause a fall (such as poor balance and low vision, which can cause a trip and fall going up a single step).
Have you or a loved one slipped or fallen recently?
Each year, more than 12,000 older adults in San Diego County arrive at the E.R or hospital after a fall. You are more likely to fall if you take multiple medications, have low Vitamin D, get dizzy, have problems seeing, or have trouble walking and getting around.
There are many things you can do to stay active, independent, and fall-free.
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Falls are preventable
Home or environmental risk factors play a role in about half of all falls.
Home environmental risk factor refers to hazards in and out side the home. For inside home just keeping the home straightened up and reducing items in the home can help. Seniors should get their adult children to help sort through items in the home and modify the home to reduce the risk of falls. Besides adding a grab bar in the shower, they could install grab bars or a commode stand near all the toilets and a grab bar or partial railing to help the senior more safely get out of bed.
For outside the home hazards stairs should have sturdy railings on both sides of a stairway, avoid cracked pavement and making improvements in public buildings, such as handrails and ramps.
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 If you are a grandparent raising a grandchild, come and join us Saturday, Sept. 7 from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m at the "Grandparents Raising Grandchildren symposium". This event is planned especially for grandparents (or other relative caregiver) who struggle with parenting issues that are far different from their parenting time. Lunch will be provided. Select HERE for more information. |
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An Intergenerational Approach to Fall Prevention
Preventing Grandparents From Falling was created to help kids and families learn how to keep their grandparents and loved ones safe from falls.
With a fun story, lively illustrations and loads of safety tips, this book is a great resource for encouraging and teaching about intergenerational falls prevention.
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Fall Prevention Awareness Week is Sept. 22 to 28
The County of San Diego’s Fall Prevention Task Force has planned 6 events in locations around the County to provide wellness and balance screenings, fall prevention speakers, exhibitors and more.
Seniors along with adult children and grandchildren of the elderly are encouraged to attend. Attendance will help reduce fall risk!
Fall Prevention Events
BALANCING YOUR HEALTH…
ONE STEP AT A TIME
• Sept. 24 (Tuesday)
from 8:30 a.m. to noon at the North County Inland Center, 15905 Pomerado Rd., Poway 92064.
• Sept. 25 (Wednesday)
from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Gary and Mary West Senior Wellness Center, 1525 4th Ave., San Diego 92101.
• Sept. 25 (Wednesday)
from 12:30 to 4 p.m. at the Carlsbad Senior Center, 799 Pine Ave., Carlsbad 92008
• Sept. 26 (Thursday)
from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Chula Vista Elks Lodge, 901 Elks Lane, Chula Vista 91910.
• Sept. 27 (Friday)
from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the La Mesa Community Center, 4975 Memorial Dr., La Mesa 91942.
• Sept. 27 (Friday)
from 9 a.m. to noon at the United Methodist Church, 490 S. Melrose Dr., Vista 92081.
TO REGISTER CALL
1-800-827-1008
We now have more flyers and an updated website for the upcoming Fall Prevention Awareness Week events in September. www.SanDiegoFallPrevention.org
Thank you for helping to spread the word! |
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It’s important for the public to know West Nile virus is a dangerous and potentially deadly disease. The risk of complications increases for those over age 50, and people with weakened immune systems.
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