After our mom’s 7th fall, she just stopped walking. It wasn’t because she broke anything, it was because she developed a fear of falling. According to the National Safety Council, one half of falls account for elderly deaths due to injuries sustained. 30% of women aged 65 and older will fall, and over 50% of women aged 85 and older will suffer from a fall.
Causes
- Physical Instability – This can have many causes: Osteoarthritis, poor vision, brain injuries and diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinsons, etc.
- Environmental – Stairs and floor obstacles
Complications
- Loss of mobility – Seniors develop a fear
(such as our mom) - Hip fractures – carry high morbidity
- Pneumonia, hypothermia, dehydration , bed sores, etc. can result from a non-mobile seniors
Prevention and Treatment
- Many falls are due to environmental factors. Some preventive measures can include creating a safer environment for the senior to move around in. Examples include: better lighting, clearing obstacles such as loose rugs, installing wall rails around the house for seniors to grasp in case of a loss of balance, monitoring medicine that can cause dizziness.
- A new study done this year in July, by researchers at Tel Aviv University showed that the drug Ritalin (which is used to treat Attention Deficit Disorder in children) improved cognitive abilities and gait in seniors, cutting the risk of falls. Read more about the Ritalin study on Falling Prevention
- Tai Chi, has been known to help improve the balance of elderly people. See the video about Tai Chi and its benefits on Parkinson
Has your loved one experienced a fall? What are your thoughts? Discuss it in our forum or comment back!
