Help! I've Fallen and I Can't Get Up!

 

There is a joke that goes like this....

"For some people a good day is a call from the kids. For others, going out with friends. Still others take adventure vacations. For me, a good day is when I can stand up and get both legs in my pants without falling over."

I still think that is funny, possibly because I can relate to it. (I have conceded and put mine on sitting down now.) But there is nothing funny about falls, especially if you are 65 years old or older.

Falls in the home are the second leading cause of death among the elderly and closing in on number 1, rising about 25% in the last few years. For people over 75, most falls occur on the stairs and even if such a fall is not fatal, the consequences can be dire. Every year, 3 million older adults are treated in emergency departments for injuries related to falling. With over 800,000 hospitalizations due to fall injuries like broken bones in the wrist, arm, or ankle, hip fractures or head injuries.

Here are some things you can do to reduce your risk.

#1. Take it seriously! Pay attention. By simply by watching your feet and being conscious of where you’re stepping, you can reduce your risk of falling dramatically — especially when walking up or down stairs. The stairs are not the place to multitask or check your phone.

#2. Stay active! Get regular exercise, including stretches and balance exercises. Get out. Walk. Move. Use it or lose it.

#3. Light the way. Keeping areas well-lit can help you see obstacles before you trip over them, and using nightlights or having illuminated wall plates can help you stay balanced and oriented as you head for the bathroom at 3am.

#4. Add safety features to your home. All stairs should have a railing—and you should always use the railing when walking up and down stairs. And if there are slippery areas in your house, add non-slip tape or carpeting to reduce the risk. Walking around on a hardwood floor in your socks is a great way to end up laying on it.

#5. Bathrooms can be risky places for falls because of water pooling on tiled floors. Adding bars to shower walls can help prevent slipping injuries while bathing, and adding a rug with a non-slip backing can help reduce this risk. I wont even mention having a rubber bathmat in the shower. You already do right?

#6. When doing work around the house, always make sure you are on sturdy footing and your work is well illuminated. Better yet, have your kids fix it. They owe you.

#7. Have your phone with you even when you are just puttering around at home. If something should happen, you want to be able to get help.

No one expects to take a serious fall. And yet it happens millions of times every year. And it CAN happen to you.