Rishma is an experienced Occupational Therapist with over 15 years working with the Senior (55+) Population. Her focus is safety in the home, strength & balance, and health promotion & fall prevention.
Preventing Falls in Older Adults By Mark Speechley, PhD, University of
Western Ontario
You may have a friend or
relative who has recently fallen, or perhaps you have had a fall
yourself. The consequences could be major - broken wrist, leg, hip, and
even a head injury. It can take a long time to recover, especially for
older adults. Some injuries may restrict your movements and your daily
activities and keep you from living as independently as you would like.
There can be many causes
of a fall, ranging from a medical problem to slipping in the bathtub.
Research shows that many of the causes of falls can be prevented or
treated.
You need to be especially careful if you:
Have fallen in the
past year, or come close to falling but caught yourself in time.
Are taking
prescription medication for depression, anxiety, or to help you
sleep.
Ever feel like you are
losing your balance due to weakness in your legs.
Sometimes feel
lightheaded or dizzy when you sit or stand up quickly.
Experience sore and
uncomfortable feet when you walk.
Recently started
taking a new medication.
Are overdue to have
your eyesight checked.
Are experiencing
problems with your feet, such as calluses, that prevent you from
feeling the floor as well as you used to.
Things that can help
reduce your chances of falling:
Discuss the matter
with your doctor or relevant health care professional.
Get your eyes checked
each year and get your glasses changed if necessary.
Develop a good and
safe program for staying active. The health benefits of active
living are continually supported by research.
Review the dosage and
number of prescription drugs you are taking with your doctor or
relevant health care professional.
Eat a healthy diet.
Install grab bars to
help you get in and out of the bathtub.
Get help and advice
from a qualified occupational or physical therapist.
Make your home or
apartment safer by removing tripping and slipping hazards.
Physical activity and
falls prevention.
Research has shown that physical activity, sunlight and social
activities are good for us. Combined with a healthy diet,
particularly with Vitamin D and Calcium supplements, weight- bearing
physical activity can help keep your bones strong to reduce your risk of
fracture if you do fall.
In particular, Tai Chi and strength training are two weight bearing
physical exercises that have been proven to be very helpful in
preventing falls by helping to increase the strength of your legs,
ankles and feet.
They can also help to improve your walking stride and to help you keep a
good sense of balance.
If you are starting a
physical activity program, discuss your plans with your doctor or
relevant health care professional.
make sure that the
physical activity program emphasizes safety and can be tailored to
suit your needs. This is especially important if the activity is new
to you.
Get active and stay
active to help strengthen your legs, feet and ankles, as well as
improve your flexibility and balance.
Get guidance from a
qualified leader.
Your local seniors club or public health unit can probably help you
find physical activity programs for older adults. If there aren't
any programs for older adults in your community, see if you can get
one started at the local seniors club, recreation department,
college or university.
