What You Need to Know About Fall Prevention
One in three seniors will suffer a fall every year, which can lead to trauma injuries. FOX 19’s Jessica Brown spoke with Stephanie Lambers, an injury prevention coordinator at TriHealth, about easy lifestyle changes seniors can make to help protect themselves against falls, and to highlight Fall Prevention Awareness Week, which is Sept. 22 through 28.
Fall Outcomes:
According to Stephanie, many seniors are at risk of a fall due to different medical conditions or a change in their blood pressure. “Once a fall does occur, if they’ve not had a diet high in calcium or Vitamin D, the things that they need to help them be preventive, then perhaps it could be serious,” Stephanie explains.
Injuries from a fall can range from minor to more serious, including:
- Cuts
- Scrapes
- Bruises
- Fractures
- Broken bones
Fall Prevention Tips:
When assessing your home for fall risks, here are some helpful tips on ways to make your surroundings safer, helping to decrease your risk of injury:
- Use a microfiber bath mat, allowing for additional grip
- Use a night light to help guide you in the dark
- Install a multi-functional grab/towel bar in the bathroom
- Take a portable tub seat with you when you travel, so you always feel secure in any bath tub
- Remove loose wires or cords from high-traffic walking areas
- Fix any uneven flooring in doorways
- Avoid having small pets in your home
Building Fall Prevention Awareness:
TriHealth is teaming up with Green Township, Middletown and West Chester fire departments to spread the importance of fall prevention. These fire departments are handing out fliers anytime they have a senior who falls and makes a 911 call. “It’s so important, when the fire department is responding, they want to get this information out there, and we’re actually tracking this data to see what happens with changes in falls as a result of building awareness with seniors,” Stephanie says.