People from all age groups can fall and hurt themselves, but the elders are at the highest risks of falling. Falls are the leading causes of many fatal and non-fatal injuries. A fear of falling in seniors is one of the biggest barriers in their physical activities.
According to The Center for Disease Control and Prevention, one in four elders experience at least one fall every year. One in five elders experience serious broken bones or head injuries due to falling.
To prevent any hazard or reduce the risks, first you have to understand the causes of falls;
Causes
There are lots of reason which leads to falling. For instance, your hearing, eyesight, and instincts are not as sharp as they were. Weakness in the lower body or facing difficulty in balance can increase the risk of falling. Moreover, heart disease, diabetes, and the problem with your nerves, thyroid, feet or blood vessels can disturb your balance.
There are some medications which can also lead to fall. Some medicine makes you feel sleepy or dizzy, which can increase the chances of you falling.
Surrounding is another most important reason for falls. For instance, uneven floor, poor or dim lighting in the house, unstable or broken furniture, uneven floor, wet or slippery floor, and a cluttered home. Too much sunlight may also make them woozy or wobbly, which can also lead to a fall.
Beyond all the factors, unfit attire and shoes may also become a cause of fall. Proper attire is a must for older adults. You might be carrying the falling risks around with them in the form of clothing. Too tight clothes can suffocate you or restrict the blood flow, which might make you unconsciousness or to lose short term mental capacity. Extremely loose attire may also become a hazard as well; it might get caught in doors, furniture, windows causing a fall.
Footwear comes with its own sets of problems. Avoid wearing loose-fitting shoes or footwear with slippery soles. For instance, pain in feet can also make you disbalance, or any injury that is not properly healed may affect your balance in several ways. If you are wearing uncomfortable shoes, which can cause pain in your feet, this can also be a reason to fall.
Here we have certain preventions, which may minimize the risk of fall of you or your beloved elders.
Preventions
Adding some form of physical activity and escercising minimizes the falling risks by enhancing your flexibility and strength. It even helps in improving your walking, stability, and balance. You must avoid hard and painful physical activities and exercises. The best options for you are yoga, tai chi and bicycling. It will strengthen their balance and walking.
Wait a moment; and take a look at your surroundings. Check your kitchen, living room, bedrooms, and bathroom hallways up and downstairs may be filled with risks. To keep your home safer; remove all kinds of electric cords, newspapers, from walking ways. Repair all sort of loose wooden furniture, make sure that your stairs railings are properly fitted. Clean spilled liquids, food on an immediate basis, use non-slip mats and avoid slippery flooring in the house.
You need to keep the lights on in your homes to avoid tripping on things that are hard to see. Place night lights in your hallways, bedroom, and bathrooms; make sure to turn on your lights while using stairs. Keep a flashlight nearby you in case of any power outages.
Always choose comfortable footwear. Avoid wearing high-heels, and shoes with slippery soles or shoes with slicks soles. Any footwear which makes you stumble, slip, and fall must be avoided at all costs. Comfortable or sensible shoes may also reduce the pain of your joint.
Conclusion
Go for a regular checkup, and it will keep you safe. Your doctor will assure the vision of your eyes and ability to hear is perfect or not; if not, he will give you a piece of better advice. From regular checkups, you will be well aware of your physical and cognitive health. Daily checkups of blood pressure and sugar level will also help you from any hazards.
There are hundreds of things that can make you fall when you are old and frail. Similarly, there are hundreds of preventive measures through which you can minimize the risks of falling. It is one of the most painful and vulnerable experience for elders to go through, while the healing power has become slow with their growing age.