Episode 63 - Strategies For Preventing Falls In Older Adults

Welcome. Today's audiocast is on Strategies for Preventing Falls in older adults. I want to make you aware that falls are the number one cause of robbing seniors of their in independence and ability to remain in their homes as they age. As we age, our bodies undergo numerous changes. Our movements become less steady, our vision less acute, and our reaction time slower.

These changes can lead to an increased risk of falls, which can cause serious injuries and greatly impact our quality of life. But what if we told you could significantly reduce your risk of falling by understanding the causes and implementing some simple strategies? Intrigued? Let's dive in. In this audiocast, I'm going to help you understand the causes of falls to prevent them and to keep older adults safe. Hey, I'm one of those. I'm going to make you aware of how exercise, home modifications, assistive devices and technologies and healthcare professionals can help reduce your fall risk. And I'm going to make you aware of community programs that provide exercise and education for overall health and wellbeing.

So let's start by understanding the causes of falls. Understanding the leading causes of falls is the first step towards prevention. Falls can result from a myriad of factors such as certain medical conditions or poor dietary habits. These risks can increase the likelihood of falls in older adults making fall prevention an essential part of disease control.

The repercussions of older adult falls can be severe, leading to fatal and non-fatal injuries, including serious injury such as shoulder and forearm fractures, spine fractures, pelvic and hip fractures, and even head injuries. Such injuries can significantly impact an individual's ability to lead an independent life.

Therefore, it becomes crucial to take proactive measures like regular exercise, medication management, regular vision checks, home safety improvements, and even considering physical therapy. These steps not only help prevent falls, but also empower older adults to live a safer, healthier life. So let's talk about fall prevention strategies for older adults. Now that we know the causes of falls, let's explore some effective fall prevention strategies for older adults. These strategies encompass various aspect of our lives, including our daily activities, our home environment, and even the assistive devices that we use.

I giggle when I say that because I have to tell you, I can't tell you how many seniors don't want to walk with a cane or even walk with a walker because it makes them look old. Oh, I love denial. It's such a wonderful coping mechanism. Daily activity such as exercise, balance, training, and strength training can help reduce the risk of falls.

So let's talk about exercise and physical activity. Physical activity plays a crucial role in maintaining our health and preventing falls. Regular exercise strengthens our muscles, improves balance and coordination, and enhances our flexibility, therefore reducing the risk of falls. Balance and strength training exercises often recommended by a physical therapist are particularly beneficial.

One such simple little balance exercise is the sit to stand exercise. It helps build leg strength and improves body mechanics, which in turn helps prevent falls. The goal is to gradually increase the duration of the exercise from holding the position for 10 seconds to eventually 30 seconds, and this is recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

They want you to start to sit and stop midway and hold to the count of 10, and then to gradually grow to holding it for 20 seconds and then 30 seconds. However, safety is paramount when exercising at home. It is advisable to have someone around to supervise and provide help if needed.

This extra precaution can prevent future falls and ensure a safe and effective exercise routine. I have chronic pain. At the present time, I'm 70 years old and I worry, I have a fear of falling. I haven't fallen, but I have a fear of it because I know the results of it. And I recommend doing Tai Chi.

I love to work out to Scott Cole. He is a Tai Chi expert, and because Tai Chi is easy on the joints and helps promote balance in seniors, Because I have chronic pain, I can't do a lot of the exercises like lifting weights anymore, which I used to do all the time because my back and my neck can't tolerate it.

And as we get older, we struggle with those things. And you have to make adjustments, and that's why safety and taking advantage of the assistive devices we have available to us is so important. So let's talk about home safety modifications. Our home environment can significantly influence our risk of falls.

Hence making some safety modifications at home can go a long way In fall prevention, for instance, remove tripping hazards like loose rugs and installing grab bars in the bathroom can improve safety and reduce the risk of falls. And I'm going to suggest that you avoid getting on ladders to reach things or do projects around the house.

I'm going to share a story about a little patient that I met when I was living and working in Minnesota. This little man came in after a fall. He was 93 years old. God bless him. He was alert and he had been a very active man just a few days earlier, he had been out fishing with his great-grandkids before his fall.

His name was Dan, and he was actually on taking the storm windows out of the second story windows when he fell. After surgery, he became so confused and never returned to his original baseline. He had to be placed in a nursing home because his 90 year old wife was no longer able to care for him in their home.

And because the home wasn't conducive to an aging body, sadly, he died a few weeks after his fall. Indeed, the importance of maintaining a safe home environment cannot be overstated. Removing home hazards not only prevent slips and falls, but also reduces the risk of fall injuries. Keeping our homes well lit is another simple, effective strategy.

A well lit home makes it easier to spot potential tripping hazards, thus preventing accidental falls. The majority of homes in the US are made for a young body, not an aging body. So I suggest that you consult with a certified aging in place specialist to see what improvements can be done within your budget to make the home safer.

So let's talk about assistive devices and technology. The use of assistive devices and technologies can be invaluable in preventing falls. These devices, such as canes and walkers provide additional support, enhancing balance and stability, therefore minimizing the risk of falls. However, it is important to remember that using these devices requires proper guidance and training.

Therefore, consulting an occupational therapist or a physical therapist can be extremely beneficial. They can provide expert guidance on the appropriate use of these devices and help device individualized fall prevention strategies. Investing in fall prevention is indeed an investment in your ability to stay independent and reduce the risk of serious injuries.

So don't hesitate to explore these devices and technologies that can enhance your safety and confidence. I also want to suggest to you that you invest in a personal emergency medical alert system for a time when you fall and have no one around to help you out. I was walking a dog in an unfamiliar neighborhood this past, during spring.

As I was turning a corner, I found this sweet little old lady on the ground at the end of her driveway, next to her mailbox, she was holding onto a rake and I asked her what her name was and if she was all right and she needed help getting up. I knew she did, but she didn't seem to want to ask me. She told me her name was Wanda.

She had recently had a total hip replacement and was to have a total knee in the near future. She was raking her leaves when she fell. I learned as I was helping her that she had lost her husband a few months ago and was living alone. She had been laying there for over an hour and the weather wasn't great.

It was chilly here in South Carolina, I told her she was lucky that she did not hit her head or dislocate her hip with this fall. And I did encourage her to get a medical alert system because I've had patients that lay for days because they did not have someone check on them daily. Seniors are in denial about what could happen to them.

I know many seniors have fear of falling, but few are proactive about putting systems in place to assure that they get care if they have an unexpected fall. So let's talk about the role of healthcare professionals in fall prevention. Healthcare professionals play a crucial role in fall prevention. They are instrumental in screening and assessing patients for their fall risk, documenting patient specific fall prevention practices, monitoring any changes in the patient's condition, and reporting any falls to the physician.

Therefore, if you are eager to implement fall prevention strategies, the first step should be making an appointment with your primary care physician or other healthcare provider. They can provide expert advice tailored to your specific needs and circumstances. Fall risk assessment is another vital service provided by healthcare professionals.

It helps them identify factors that may increase a patient's risk of falling, such as medications, physical impairments, and environmental hazards. Based on this assessment, they can formulate a personalized fall prevention plan that includes exercise, home safety modifications, and the use of assistive devices and technologies.

Caregiver relief has developed a questionnaire to take with you to your doctor's appointment. This was created so you know what the questions to ask about fall prevention. Reducing fall related injuries. While preventing falls is essential, it's equally important to minimize the injuries related to falls.

This can be achieved by maintaining good bone health. Strong bones can avoid serious injuries like hip fractures, therefore reducing the risk of falls. A condition that poses an increased risk to bone health in older adults is osteoporosis. It weakens the bones, making them thin and brittle. Therefore, a fall can lead to serious fractures in individuals with osteoporosis.

However, the risk of fractures can be reduced by staying active and taking other preventive measures such as regular exercise, home safety modifications, using assistive devices and technologies, and seeking health from healthcare professionals and participating in fall prevention education, and I recommend every female and males too, but it's mostly the females to get a tech DEXA scan.

Know what your bone density is so that you know that you can take measures to strengthen those bones. This is a really important one. Building confidence after a fall. Experiencing a fall can be a distressing event. It can lead to a loss of confidence and independence. I know seniors that stop taking baths or showers and just take sponge baths because they live alone, and have a fear of falling.

Seniors that live in colder climates have a fear of falling on the ice and ending up in the hospital. Hey, just walking on wet leaves in the fall can cause a fall. So I do understand the fear of falling. I have it myself. However, it is possible to regain confidence after a fall. The key is to approach the situation with openness and honesty, focusing on the positive aspects of the situation.

 Setting realistic and achievable goals can also help regain confidence. These goals can include building up physical strength and balance, improving mobility and increasing independence to prevent future falls. Hey, you may need to see a physical therapy to help you improve your balance, and I really believe Tai Chi is great for helping maintain your balance and strength.

Maintaining a regular routine and continuing to do things you enjoy is another effective strategy. It keeps up your morale and challenges, negative thoughts, creating a positive mindset that can aid in fall prevention. I'm also going to recommend that if you have things that need to be done around the house and you need to get on a ladder, or you need raking of the leaves or shoveling of the snow, that you have to reach out to neighbors, family, friends, and if you have the financial ability, pay for somebody.

Trust me, you can't take it with the money with you and your strength and your independence and your health depend on managing and preventing falls. So let's talk about community-based fall prevention programs. Community-based fall prevention programs can be a great way to learn about fall prevention and meet others who are taking steps to prevent falls.

There are programs such as a matter of balance and stepping up. They have been proven to help older adults become more confident and less afraid of falling. These programs offer numerous benefits. They can help reduce your risk of falling, boost your physical activity levels, or enhance your overall health and wellbeing.

They provide exercise and fall prevention education equipping you with the knowledge and skills to prevent falls effectively. Fall prevention education is an essential part of these programs. It helps you understand the risk associated with falls and how you can minimize them. It also helps you devise strategy to avoid falls and boost your assurance.

And I want to share with you that there are robots out there right now that are helping seniors exercise, and they're helping seniors walk. I think that this is our future and we need to embrace it. If you want to learn more about the how robotics and robots are going to help us in our future, I suggest you listen to my robot podcast series.

In summary, falls among older adults can, for the most part be prevented. It requires understanding the causes, implementing effective strategies such as regular exercise, home safety modifications, and the use of assistive devices, and seeking health from healthcare professionals. Participating in community-based fall prevention programs can also be beneficial.

Ultimately the journey to fall prevention is about maintaining independence, improving quality of life, and living confidently and fearlessly. So I'm going to address some frequently asked questions. One of the ones is, what are some types of falls?

I can tell you three right now that are classified falls can be classified into three types, anticipated falls, unanticipated falls, and accidental. By understanding the type of fall your loved one has experienced, you can take steps to prevent future falls. And what is the definition of a fall?

A fall is an event which results in a person unintentionally dropping to the ground floor or another lower level. It could result in fractures, lacerations, internal bleeding, and potentially requiring increased health utilization. Remember, falls are the leading cause of unintentional injury for older adults.

What causes falls in older adults? Falls in older adults can be caused by age-related changes in muscles, balance, vision, and hearing, as well as diseases like dementia and Parkinson's. Poor lighting or throw rugs at home can lead to slips and trips. Some medicines for depression, sleep problems, and even high blood pressure can also increase the risk of falling.

So what medical conditions cause falls? Oh, there's a long list of those chronic conditions such as arthritis, diabetes, vision, and hearing loss, vascular diseases, thyroid dysfunction, depression, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or C O P D can all lead to an increased risk of falls. Vertigo and incontinence are among the most common in the aging population that suffer from falls.

And the most appropriate way to prevent falls is to stay physically active. Try balance and strength training exercises, fall proof your home. Have your eyes and hearing tested. Find out about the side effects of any medication you take. Try to get enough sleep, avoid and or limit alcohol and stand up slowly.

Physical activity is important for preventing falls, balance and strength training exercises can help improve balance and coordination. Fall proofing your home can help reduce the risk of falls. Having your eyes and hearing tested can help you identify any vision or hearing problems that may increase your risk of falls.

Also important to be aware of the side effects of medications. This has been brought to you by Caregiver relief. I'm Diane Carbo.

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