EasyLiving believes in active aging and being proactive with your own health. Falls are one of the biggest risks for older adults and can quickly derail your plans and hopes for an independent, active lifestyle.
- Falls are the leading cause of fatal and nonfatal injuries in elders.
- Every 29 minutes an elder dies from a fall.
Every year, the NCOA (National Council on Aging) and partners around the country celebrate the first day of fall with falls awareness education and activities. EasyLiving is a proud founding member of the Pinellas County Falls Prevention Coalition, which we helped to form several years ago as a community-wide effort to bring awareness to the #1 cause of ambulance calls in our county.
The information below is from a NCOA falls prevention infographic. Join us in sharing these important steps with someone you care about to stay safe!
There are numerous exercise and balance programs at Pinellas County’s senior centers, as well as senior-oriented classes at local gyms. Taichi has proven beneficial for balance and falls prevention, so you might want to give it a try. Dunedin even hosts the national Taoist Tai Chi Society headquarters! EasyLiving also works closely with In Home Fitness, personal trainers specializing in helping seniors and we often share good exercise and balance resources right here on our blog.
Too often, elders fail to disclose falls out of embarrassment or fear of losing independence. The reality is that a lot can be done to prevent future falls and keep you safe, so you are only harming your chances of continued independence when you don’t get help. There might be an underlying problem, such as a medication side effect, which could easily be addressed.
The risk of falling increases with the number of prescription and OTC medications taken. Several studies have shown that multifaceted falls prevention strategies that included medication review and modification significantly reduced falls. If you need help taking your medications properly, EasyLiving’s Medication Management Program can help.
Environmental factors play a big role in falls, and are easily modified. Check out EasyLiving’s free Falls Prevention Checklist to get an idea of some simple steps you can take to make your home safer. We also offer home visits and free evaluations so that you can begin safer aging-in-place today. Our Aging Wisely care managers can do a comprehensive assessment to ensure the home environment is safe, evaluate your holistic needs and medical situation, and make recommendations for home modifications, aging-in-place technologies and other resources.
If you’re concerned about an older loved one, we can assist with ways to approach the topic and how to help. Fear of losing independence or concerns over costs of services often create immediate barriers when you bring up such topics, so the approach is important. And, don’t forget these tips are good for all of us to maintain good health and a safe environment. Falls don’t just affect seniors!
Call our Senior Care Consultant at 727-447-5845 for a free needs analysis any time!
