Did you know that falls are the leading cause of injury and disability among the elderly? One in three American adults age 65 or older falls every year, resulting in countless injuries and an estimated 9,500 deaths. Sadly, falling often leads to permanent loss of independent functioning and a need for longterm nursing care. So it makes very good sense to invest in fall prevention in and around the homes of your senior loved ones.
One of the first things we do with new clients at Good Company Senior Care is a thorough home assessment to identify potential safety hazards: View our detailed Fall Prevention Checklist here.
Another key factor in preventing falls is a detailed medical check-up to identify potential problems with gait/balance, vision and musculoskeletal strength. Certain medications also affect balance and perception and may contribute to falls. Find out more here. There are also many sites that showcase products and home modifications that make a big difference in home safety.
What experiences have you had with falls among the seniors you care for? Do you have any tips and ideas for improving home safety and preventing falls?
One Response to “How to prevent falls, the #1 health risk to the elderly”
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
August 17th, 2009 at 12:36 am
[...] Another decent blogger added an interesting post on Compassionate Senior Care Blog Archive How to prevent falls …Here’s a small excerpt [...]