Falls among adults 65 and older have continued to increase, making falls a public health concern particularly among the aging population. In 2019 only, it was reported that over 34,000 seniors across the state of California died from fall related injuries, making it the leading cause of injury death for that group. In most cases, falls are unpredictable because it could happen anytime and anywhere from the store, parking structure, bathroom, stair ways, walk ways, etc.
knowing the risks factors and different ways of preventing these falls could go a long way in saving the lives of aging adults in our communities.
The number of seniors impacted by risks for fall has increased significantly to an outstanding 94% due to medication side effects. Knowing those medications that put’s our aging adults at risks for fall is one key strategy to prevention as well as keeping their environment free from fall hazards.
It is also very imperative for aging adults and their physicians to work together and strike a balance between managing the conditions that necessitate these medications that put them at risk for additional falls with a view to adjusting their dosage.
Besides medications, aging adults fall from other health conditions such as Dementia, Stroke, Parkinson’s, Blindness, Diabetes, Dizziness and Surgeries just to mention a few. In addition to sustaining head injuries, broken hips or fracture in the spine, deaths from such falls are happening at a very alarming rate.
Medications that are specifically connected with fall risk include those for depression, seizures, blood pressure management, pain, and psychosis, and others. Women are more commonly prescribed these kinds of medications, and those 85 and older are experiencing the greatest spike in fall-related deaths.
One step your family can take to help is to have the home assessed for fall risk, and to follow through with any recommended safety precautions.
Amazing Support Home Care is pleased to offer a free assessment, scheduled at a time convenient to you. We can also help reduce fall risk through:
- Making sure that medicines are taken just as prescribed
- Aiding in safe walking and transfers
- Encouraging seniors to engage in physician-approved exercise programs to bolster balance, strength, and flexibility
- Light house keeping
Give us a call at 909-716-5493 or visit us at www.amazingsupporthomecare.com to learn more about our in-home care services and why Amazing Support Home Care is the preferred choice of home care organizations in California.