Tip of the Month 1: Are You at Risk of Having a Fall?

Source: Help the Aged
November 6, 2002 (Reviewed: November 13, 2004)

Ask yourself these questions to find out if you are at risk of having a fall:

• Do you get light headed or dizzy when you are standing or turning?
• Do you have difficulty walking or rising from a low chair?
• Do you have poor balance or feel you're unsteady on your feet when moving from one type of floor surface to another?
• Do you take more than four medications daily?
• Do you tend to turn off your heating to save money during the winter?

Did you answer yes to any of these questions? Then you may be at risk of having a fall.

An estimated 1000 older people die each year in the UK as a result of a fall on the stairs in the home. If the fall doesn't kill, it can devastate health and change an older person's quality of life and that of their family and friends forever.

Falls are a major cause of disability and the leading cause of mortality due to injury among older people aged over 75 in the UK. Nearly a fifth of older people who break their hips die, and of those that survive, less than one third regain their same level of mobility. Falls destroy confidence, increase isolation and reduce independence.

........and yet most falls are preventable.

Avoiding slips, trips and broken hips is a campaign run by Help the Aged that offers simple, practical advice to cut your risk of having a fall.

Ways to reduce your risk of having a fall:

• In winter, shorter days and colder weather are when you are most likely to have a fall. Exercise regularly to keep your muscles warm and to keep you mobile. Strength and balance exercises such as Tai Chi and walking can improve balance and strength and so reduce the main risk factors of a fall.
• Wearing shoes with thin soles and high uppers can improve balance and mobility compared to other styles of footwear. Make sure thin soles have good grips.
• Simple changes to your home can make it a safer place. Get rid of clutter in all walking areas and make sure stairs are well lit. Installing grab rails and fitting plain light colored carpets so the stairs can be seen clearly can also save you from a nasty fall.
• Good vision (corrected if needed) and good lighting enable identification of obstacles and uneven floor surfaces. If you have a pet that gets under your feet, use a brightly colored collar so they're easily spotted.
• Getting your medications reviewed by your family doctor is essential, especially if you are prescribed more than four medicines, if you have recently come out of hospital, if you already have medicine-related problems, or if you are over 75.
• Although stairs are one of the more risky areas in your home, they also can be a great way to keep fit and maintain your mobility. Just make sure you're stair aware! Take care when carrying things up and down stairs, stay steady, light up your stairs and most importantly take your time. "More haste....less speed!"

There are other possible causes of falls in the elderly, which may not have been included in the above article. They include: poor vision, lung diseases, cardiovascular disease, bladder disorders, and conditions affecting the legs and arms, such as arthritis. To read more about them, go to: "Falls: reduce your risk" , Robert Griffith, Editor.

This Tip of the Month is a service sponsored by Help the Aged (see first link below).

Related Links
Help the Aged Website
Exercise Helps Cut Risk of Falls
Increased Vitamin A Intake May Raise the Fracture Risk
How To Avoid Falls at Home

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