Staying on your feet

As we grow older falling becomes a part of a lot of peoples lives and the aftermath of a fall can be very traumatic and costly. People who have fallen often spend weeks and sometimes months in the hospital trying to recover physically and mentally. Rehab centers are full of people spending hours upon hours in physical therapy to regain strength and confidence. I have heard horror stories of healthy older people falling and spending 12 or 15 hours laying on a bathroom floor or out on the back patio with no way to get help.

So what can we do? Well the best way to combat a fall is to try and prevent a fall. There a minor things we can do order to make our home safer and easier to ambulate around. Some of them might seem like common sense but they are still things people might not think about. Below is a list that might help you or a loved one prevent a fall sometime in the future.

1. In the mornings make sure you take your time getting up. All too often people wake up and immediately stand and begin to walk to the kitchen or bathroom. This can cause dizziness and sometimes blackouts. Give yourself time to sit up in bed and move your feet to the floor. Spend a couple minutes sitting in the upright position and then stand. If you are not feeling normal then sit down and wait a few more minutes and try again. Have a cane, walker, or some sort of aid to help in case you do not feel 100%.

2. Eliminate potential hazards. Below is a list of items that you may not have thought about but could potentially cause a fall.
-Wet floors
-Loose mats on slippery floors
-Dusty floors
-Sloped floors and uneven surfaces
-Loose or worn carpet and flooring
-Cables or wiring crossing a walking path
-Clutter in hallways and walkways

3. Medication management. Medication mismanagement is a big problem in the aging community and is the cause of a countless number of falls. Check with doctors and make sure the prescribed medications you are taking are not going to affect balance. Make sure the correct dosages are being taken and at the right times.

4. Understand limitations and don't be afraid to ask for help. If a light bulb needs to be changed or something heavy needs to be moved then ask for help. I can't tell you the amount of light bulbs I changed in the 5 years of installing emergency response units for the elderly.

5. Embrace technology. Because of the speed at which technology advances people become intimidated by new products. A lot of the products in the gerontological industry are meant to assist clients in being safe. Consult a caregiver or nurse and find out what products might be helpful. An emergency response button might not prevent a fall but it can build peace of mind and confidence knowing that if there is a fall then help is just a touch of a button away.

If you have any questions please visit us at http://www.alertresponse.com/ or call our office.

"Young men think old men are fools; but old men know young men are fools."
-George Chapman

Thanks for reading,
Matt