For people aged 65 or over, falls are a serious risk. Taking a fall can lead to ongoing injuries and health complications, but many do not even seek medical help after a fall. In fact, one out of four older people will have a fall each year, but less than half of them will tell their doctor about it. Here are the facts you need to know about falls to lessen your risks.
The Seriousness of Fall Injuries
The first thing you need to know is fall injuries can be serious for those aged 65 and over. While the idea of taking a fall does not sound that bad, it can lead to some serious injuries.
For example, at least 300,000 older people suffer hip fractures after taking a fall each year. 95% of hip fractures are caused by falling, most commonly if a person falls sideways. A fall is often the culprit for head injuries in older people, too. Falls are the most common causes of traumatic brain injuries right now.
Hospitals will see and treat 3 million older people for fall injuries every year. Those accidents get costly too. In 2015 for example, the total cost for fall injuries in older people came out at more than $50 billion. 75% of that cost was handled by Medicaid and Medicare.
As such, you can see that taking a fall as an older person can lead to serious injury. With so many people being hospitalized for falls every year though, you can see that falls are common too.
After Effects of a Fall
An older person may suffer a fall, and then consider themselves lucky as they did not suffer an immediate injury, such as a hip fracture. However, if you are someone who suffers a fall and a resulting injuries, then they can have ongoing effects on your life.
For example, there are several bones that can be broken by a fall. A hip fracture is the most common, but broken arms, wrists, ankles, and more are also fairly common. That leads to long recovery times, which can lead to issues for you in other areas of your life.
If you suffer a head injury after a fall, these can and will be serious. This is especially true if you are taking medication such as blood thinners. That is why it is so important to see a doctor after a fall, even if you feel that you have come away unscathed. They can check for head injuries and other issues to ensure that nothing is missed.
Even if you were lucky to fall and not suffer injury, there can be long lasting effects. It is very easy to become worried or scared about falling again, as you’re worried about the injuries you could maintain. As such, that will have an effect on your life and what you feel safe in doing. The problem is that people who are worried become less active. When you are less active your muscles become weaker, and that actually puts you at risk of falling.
What Can Lead to a Fall?
If you do want to find ways of lessening your chances of falling, there are some things you can do. Firstly, it is a good idea to be aware of what conditions and risk factors make you more likely to fall. There are many factors that you can change or be aware of that will help a lot.
These factors fall into two camps. Firstly, there are medical issues that can make you more prone to falls. They include:
Vitamin D deficiency
Vision issues
Foot pain
Walking and balance difficulties
Lower body weakness
Use of medicines such as sedatives or anti-depressants
If any of these relate to you, then you can be aware of the risk and do your best to mitigate it. For example, if you suffer with foot pain, you can look into specialist shoe insoles and other options to lessen that pain.
The other major factor is physical hazards, especially in your home. There are many things that can cause falls that you may not even consider. In your home for example, if you have throw rugs they can easily be tripped on. Broken or uneven steps are another common hazard that lead to falls.
Again, if you are aware of these issues you can start taking steps to lessen the risk and protect yourself.
How You Can Prevent Falls
While you cannot prevent all falls, there are lots of ways that you can dramatically cut down on that risk. Here are a few ways that you can do so:
Get regular vision checks: Getting your eyes tested on a regular basis is a good idea, no matter your age. As you grow older, it is especially helpful as you can get help to correct your vision. If you have the right eye care, then you will be able to see better and avoid falling hazards.
Exercise: Again, exercise is good for everyone and that includes older people. Strength and balance exercises are best to help you avoid falling. Tai Chi is a good way of getting that kind of exercise in.
Make updates to your home: For those living in their own homes, they can make a lot of changes to reduce their risk of falling. This is especially important if you live on your own. You can find ideas of what to change when you search for ‘ageing in place’ online. These can include adding grab rails in the bath and shower, removing throw rugs, adding more light, and so on.
Talk to your doctor: Finally, it is always a good idea to talk to your doctor if you are worried about the risk of falling. They can evaluate your risk of falling, and help you put measures in place to prevent it from happening.
While the risk of falls is very real and serious, it is important not to limit your life because of them. If you are aware of the risks and take steps to manage them, you’ll be able to drastically reduce them.
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