The Professional Geriatric Care Manager’s Blog

Fall Prevention

The Center for Disease Control states that falls are the leading cause of injury deaths amongst older adults, a scary fact when coupled with research data that claims more than one third of adults 65 and older fall each year. According to the most recent census, 13% of New Jersey’s population are age 65 and older. With a population climbing over 8,725,000 people, that comes to a whopping 1,134,250 residents. That means upwards of 380,000 elderly adults will fall yearly in New Jersey alone.

While not all falls are preventable, a fact which Sophia Heftler, RN, CALA, Geriatric Care Manager, fully recognizes, there are a number of steps that can be taken to make environments safer and people stronger, the two best ways to stave off a fall. Distinctive Care Geriatric Care Management, located in Bergen County, New Jersey, has developed this comprehensive list to promote fall prevention and help families make positive changes.

• Exercise Regularly: performing exercises and activities that increase balance and strength are the most helpful; consider joining a Tai Chi or Yoga program.

• Eye Checkups: have your eyes checked at least once a year by an eye doctor.

• Medicine Review: have your medications reviewed by your doctor or pharmacist to reduce interactions and side affects; make sure both prescription and over the counter medications are taken into consideration!

• Improve Lighting: making sure that your home is well lit is essential to fall avoidance; instal night-lights to ensure safety at night.

• Reduce Hazards: it’s important to bring in outside help to perform in-home assessments, which are crucial for fall prevention; risk reduction devices, such as tub grab bars, toilet assist bars, shower chairs, wall grab bars, rug slips and carpet tape should be installed to provide for ease of movement and safety.

Falls are one of the biggest threats to independence in later life. According to the Center for Disease Control, fall-related injuries for seniors cost over $19 billion dollars annually, and that number will reach $43.8 billion dollars by the year 2020. By following Distinctive Care’s simple fall prevention guidelines, Bergen County can do its part to fight the nationwide averages and keep our older adults independent!

References:

Center for Disease Control: http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/factsheets/adultfalls.htm

U.S. Census Bureau: http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/34000.html

Senior Journal.com: http://www.seniorjournal.com/NEWS/Aging/2008/20080923-SenMikulskiWinsAgain.htm Seattle

Post-Intelligencer: http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/379540_falls18.html