So many of my patients are afraid of the F word.
“I didn’t fall, I just slipped off the bed!”
Clinicians define a fall as an uncontrolled descent to the floor.
If your leg muscles aren’t strong enough to slow you down or your blood pressure is so low that you are helpless to do anything except watch in slow motion, it’s a fall.
I don’t think you should be afraid of falls. I think it’s just a sign that your body is trying to tell you something.
“All that sitting has caught up with me.”
“I need to get my vision checked.”
“My meds need adjustment.”
Falls in older adults is serious stuff. The CDC reports that falls are the leading cause of injury death and that one out of four older people falls each year, 1 but less than HALF tell their doctor!
Falling once doubles your chances of falling again so September 18-24 has been designated National Fall Prevention week.
I sat down this week with @millennium physician group @michellemccormick to talk about why people fall and what you can do to prevent them.
You might be surprised to hear that one of my solutions to $$$ bathroom renovations is to move!
As an OT and a Realtor, I can tell you that things are changing in the real estate market. Being able to find a beautiful accessible Forever Home is going to be a reality soon enough for many people looking to downsize!
This is a 2 min clip from the radio show that aired Sunday on WOKV. If you’re interested in watching the whole interview, you can find it on my YouTube channel “Age in Place or Find a New Space!”
Preventing falls is the primary goal of rehab professionals. It’s a huge problem that can’t be solved by just 1 person. It requires us as clinicians, caregivers and patients to all work together with our different skill sets to support our older adults.
Education on the importance of planning ahead and advocacy for positive aging habits are my ways to contribute to the solution.
What can you do to help end this epidemic of falls to keep our seniors thriving in our communities?
