|
Falling in love is great. Falling on the floor is not. According to a study conducted by the Center for Disease Control in 2003, more than 1.8 million seniors age 65 and older were treated in emergency departments for fall-related injuries and more than 421,000 were hospitalized. And that doesn't count all the falls that did not require emergency care.
While the idea of being stranded alone on the floor for hours is horrifying, it is important to face that it could happen and plan for whatever circumstances you can. Fall prevention should be practiced by everyone, particularly people who are frail or have difficulty getting up from the floor under the best of circumstances. Even if you do not live alone, it is still advisable to take precautions to avoid falls. Caregivers might incur serious back injuries if they try to assist someone as they fall or if they help someone up off the floor.
The staff at Dynamic-Living.com suggests that you have a four pronged approach to preventing and managing falls.
1. Identify your risk factors and see whether you can eliminate some of them.
Half of all falls occur at home. Locate the places in your home that are tricky to maneuver, such as where the carpet meets bare flooring, and find ways to eliminate them or mark them clearly. Make sure that pathways are well lit and uncluttered. See your ophthalmologist to have your vision checked. If you wear glasses, keep them clean and wear them as directed. No sense tripping because you misjudged a step due to not wearing your glasses. Review your medications with your physician, particularly if you take 4 or more different kinds. Interactions might cause dizziness, weakness or other side effects that could contribute to falls. If you know you have problems with walking and balance, work on improving your situation with the help of an occupational or physical therapist. There may be simple exercises or an assistive aid that will help. Remember, there is nothing wrong with using a
rollator or cane. More than your pride can be hurt if you take an unnecessary spill. Wear shoes that fit! Slippers are fine, but they need to be non skid with flexible soles to minimize risk of tripping.
2. Install appropriate assistive aids to help prevent falls.
Bed rails ensure your safety if you move around while you sleep. They also provide something to hold when you are getting in and out of bed. Make it easier to rise from the toilet with a toilet support frame. Wet areas like tubs and showers should have properly installed grab bars. For people who are sedentary and have 24 hour caregivers in their home, there are pressure pads that signal when weight has been lifted off of them. Some of these devices also have a recording that will say something like, "please sit down". This may help deter a patient with dementia from getting up when they are alone in the room.
3. Know and practice the best way for getting up off the floor without risk of injury to yourself or your caregiver.
It may sound simple, but when was the last time you sat down on the floor and got up again? If it has been a long time, wait until someone is with you before you attempt this gravity defying effort. The most common way to get up, as described by the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons:
From your back, roll over naturally, turning your head in the direction of the roll. If you can, push yourself up onto your hands and knees so you can crawl to a strong, stable piece of furniture like a chair. Approach the chair from the front and put both hands on the seat. Slowly, begin to rise. Bend whichever knee is stronger, keeping your other knee on the floor. Push up with both arms and the one leg. When you are almost standing, slowly twist around and sit in the chair. Rest as often as you need to along the way. This is not a race.
The procedure is similar with a caregiver present, with just some light assistance from the caregiver as needed. A chair could be brought closer to you and another chair placed behind you to sit on once you are up. The caregiver should not lift you! If you know that getting up will be extremely difficult due to your weight or frailty, consider having an
inflatable lift cushion at home to help in an emergency. Easily stored in a closet, this portable device consists of an inflatable cushion (similar to an air mattress) and compressor that fills the cushion with air. When activated, this system will slowly lift you off the floor.
4. When falls are probable, have alerting devices available that will automatically call for assistance.
In the event of a serious fall, take your time to calm down and catch your breath. If you are not badly hurt you can think about getting up using the process you practiced above. If you are hurt, you can call for help using a button that will page someone in another room. There are also pendants that use a radio frequency to send a signal through the telephone. If you are concerned that you won't be able to press a button, there are fall detection products that detect a sudden shift in position and will send a signal for help.
We rehearse and prepare for all sorts of events throughout our lives. Skiers practice falling to learn the best way to get up again. Why shouldn't you prepare for one of the most common physical emergencies for seniors? If you have taken a fall and were not injured, be sure to tell your physician about it so that any underlying physical causes can be evaluated. Don't let yourself lose your independence or quality of life. Be safe and prevent falls.
© Copyright 2007 Dynamic Living, Inc.
Dynamic Living Newsletter may only be redistributed in its unedited form. Written permission from the editor must be obtained to reprint or cite the information contained within this newsletter.
(return to top of page)
|
