Preventing Falls In The Elderly

Are one of your elderly loved ones suffering from consistent falls at home? Falls in the elderly are a common occurrence because due to the natural progression of aging your balance and coordination can start to decline. Reflexes can become slower as well. Seniors not only suffer from physical ailments like arthritis and chronic pain symptoms but they also are prone to problems with their vision. Cognition problems may also be present in which they may or may not be attributed to the early onset of Alzheimer's Disease. With falls can lead to an increased risk of sustaining a fractured hip. Seniors who sustain a hip fracture have a 50% chance of survival during the first year of their injury.

By all means if your loved one is suffering from consistent falls at home please have them evaluated by a medical doctor as soon as possible. At their visit their doctor can assess their current medical condition and determine what the underlying issues may be, that are contributing to the falls. Often, many seniors take a series of medications daily in which all may have some sort of side effect. Depakote is a popular drug that many elderly persons take. This drug is known to have a side effect of causing unsteady gait therefore increasing their fall risk. Sometimes it's just a matter of a doctor completing a medication review. Other times a prescription to begin some physical therapy is needed to work on improving ones balance, coordination, and muscle strength.


Here are a few things you can do to help minimize falls

Appropriate footwear should always be worn that are the correct size. If the shoes are too big this will leave room for the heel to slip out. Flat shoes are best with a good grip under the sole to provide stability on uneven and even surfaces.

Ensure that adequate lighting is within the house.

Remove scatter rugs. These are quite easy to trip and get entangled on. If you must use any type of scatter or throw rugs firmly secure them to the floor.

Install non slip strips or rubber mat on the tub or shower floor.

Install grab bars in the shower. These will make it easy for one to stand or sit down and prevent a slip and fall.

Purchase a tub seat for showering to avoid having to stand.

Keep furniture arranged within the home at a safe and easy to navigate pathway. You want plenty of room to get around when walking.