Are You At Risk For Falling?

For seniors, falls in and around the home have serious consequences. Did you know…

• Falls are one of the most serious health risks among seniors over the age of 65, affecting more people than stroke and heart attacks combined.
• Falls are the leading cause of death due to injury in those people 65 and over.
• 95% of hip fractures are caused by falls and 40% of those hospitalized for hip fracture do not return to independent living and 20% will die within a year.
• More than half (55%) of all falls by seniors take place in the home. An additional 23% occur outside, but near the house. Lifeline can intervene in close to 80% of all falls.
• Most falls go unreported, but it is expected that 35-40% of people over the age of 65 fall each year.
• Those who fall are 2-3 times more likely to fall again.
• Many chronic medical conditions seniors are at risk for: Cardiovascular disease, pulmonary disease, arthritis, diabetes, osteoporosis, diminished hearing and eyesight and Parkinson’s disease all leave seniors vulnerable to falls at home.

What Can You Do?

• Some falls are preventable. Falls caused by environmental factors (like fall hazards in the home) and from side effects of medication can be foreseen and avoided.
• Preventing falls and the resulting injuries can promote independence by reducing or delaying the need to move out of the home.
• Getting help quickly after a fall reduces risk of hospitalization by 26% and death by over 80%.

 Use this fall prevention checklist to make your home as safe as possible:

• Have a lamp or light switch that you can easily reach without getting out of bed.
• Use night-lights in the bedroom, bathroom and hallways.
• Keep a flashlight handy.
• Have light switches at both ends of stairs and halls.
• Install handrails on both sides of stairs.

Click here to take the self-assessment guide to determine if you are at risk for falling.

Fitness: A Key To Fall Prevention

"If exercise could be packaged into a pill, it would be the single most widely prescribed and beneficial medicine in the nation.” —Robert N. Butler, MD. Former Director, National Institute on Aging

Exercise for elderly adults can reduce the risk of falls, as well as help prevent or delay some diseases and disabilities. Older people have much to gain from staying active, and it's something they can do easily at home. For helpful tips on exercises from both a sitting and standing position...

Click here to view how Fitness is the Key to Fall Prevention.