Seniors currently make up the largest demographic in the country and every year about one third of the senior population has a fall at home or while they are out. Unfortunately less than half of seniors will inform their doctors about a fall if they don’t think it was serious.
The truth is that it’s hard to tell right away how serious a fall was unless there is a broken bone or other obvious injury such as bruising or scrapes. Many injuries will only become apparent after a few days and by then they could be more serious than they were initially. About one out of every five falls results in a serious injury, many of which are traumatic brain injuries. It is imperative that, after a fall, the senior is given proper medical attention, no matter how minor the fall may seem at first.
Psychological damage can also occur after a fall; many seniors will become frightened of falling again and will restrict their everyday activities because of this fear. Unfortunately this is counter-productive because when a person is less active they become weaker and are actually more prone to falling.
Some contributing factors to falling are:
- Physical weakness
- Vitamin D deficiency
- Conditions that affect balance – such as vertigo or inner ear problems
- Medications that make the user drowsy
- Hazards within the home or outside environment – loose rugs, clutter etc
Prevent the risk of falling by keeping the home empty of clutter, monitoring the person’s physical strength and the medications that they take, and having someone close by who will remain alert and on the lookout for potential falls.
Safe Care can offer you free consultations to assess the needs of you or your loved ones; our services range from companionship to 24-hour care. Having a caretaker around will significantly reduce the likelihood of a fall and will also reduce any injuries that might happen as a result of a fall.