Seniors and Fall Prevention

Seniors in Canada are having more falls than ever before and it continues to have an enormous impact on their quality of life. However, there is hope and with some simple solutions, our seniors can become healthier, be stronger and live more active and injury free lives.

The statistics on falls and fall related injuries are staggering and the reality is falls are highly preventable even amongst the older, aging, senior population.

So why is this happening? We sometimes automatically think it is only our seniors and the critically ill that have this issue and you would be right that the older we get the more likely we will have a falls related injury. However, the fact remains, that some of the reasons why people fall is not related to age, gender or genetic health issues.

As our knowledge and understanding of the issue increases studies show that other determining factors such as behavioural, socio-economic and environmental factors increase the risk of falling. For example, seniors that maintain a healthy lifestyle through exercise and proper nutrition are less likely to have a fall later in life than those that do not. Someone leading a sedentary lifestyle, smokes, has a poor diet will likely experience a rate of decline in balance and mobility as they age.

So what can seniors do to improve their health, strength and balance in order to prevent future falls, which lead to injuries? These are some helpful tips that everyone can follow:

1. Exercise – Aerobic and resistance training will improve your strength, balance, flexibility and endurance. Try for 30-60 minutes of exercise per day i.e. walking, yoga, swimming, etc.
2. Proper Nutrition – Create a balanced and nutritious diet following Canada’s Guide for Health Eating.
3. Medication Review – Have your pharmacist and/or doctor review your meds at least annually as some medications can cause side effects such as dizziness, disorientation and sleepiness all of which are contributing factors to falls.
4. Yearly Eye Exam – visual acuity, contrast sensitivity and depth perception issues may affect an individual’s balance and lead to falls so it is important to have one’s eyes checked annually and address any issues right away.
5. Home Safety Assessment – Review your home for safety. Remove all clutter and objects in your home such as scatter rugs, extension cords, boxes etc. A home safety assessment can also provide tips on how to improve the safety of your home and reduce the chance of falls i.e Improved lighting, grab bars in bathroom and showers, non-slip shower mats, widening of doorways etc.

The bottom line is that a failure to address the issues that are the primary cause of falls will only increase the risk of falls leading to injuries and increased frailty.  Review your current lifestyle, make the necessary changes, implement a plan of action and decrease your risk for falling.

First Class Home Care is a leading private home care agency providing services to seniors and older adults in Mississauga, Brampton, Oakville, Milton and Etobicoke West. These services include Dementia Care, Personal Care, Home Support, Companionship and more.