Page 34 - Seniors Today - Vol1 Issue 3

Health

Don’t fall for it

A fall can lead to severe complications for seniors. Dr Darius Soonawalla explains how to
prevent falls

Every year one out of every 15 elderly persons The less that is lying around, the less likely you
is likely to have a fall, resulting in a fracture. are to trip over anything, so try to keep clutter
Increasingly more patients above 85 years of and mess to a minimum. It is also important to
age, and some even above 100 years, need to clean up spillages as quickly as possible to avoid
undergo surgery for these fractures. Even with slippery floors. Specifically make sure your
modern advances in medicine and surgery, this toilet floor is not wet at night, and the path from
is a huge setback and very often the person your bed to the toilet is clear.
never recovers to their prefall status. Falls also Provide adequate lighting.
cause a fear of falling again, avoidance of daily Keep your rooms well lit in and around the
activities, social isolation and ultimately a house so that you can easily see where you are
poorer quality of life. walking. Consider keeping lights on in hallways
So how do we minimize the risk of a fall, at the and bathrooms all night, in case you need to go
same time maintaining an active lifestyle. The to the toilet.
following simple precautions can also be taken Use non-slip materials.
to minimise the risk of a fall: Use non-slip mats and rugs around the house,
Exercise. as well as in the bath, porches and anywhere
Firstly we need to understand that falls in else that is likely to get slippery. Also consider
seniors are common, as with age muscle placing non-slip materials under rugs to keep
strength, coordination and reflexes tend to get them in place.
poorer. This can be countered by doing a daily
regime of light strengthening & balancing
exercises. This is probably the most important
thing you can do for yourself!
Walking the stairs.
Concentrate while walking on the stairs. It is a
place where falls are very likely to happen.
Sit and change your clothes.
Change of clothes happen 2-3 times a day and
can become a high risk factor.
Declutter your home.

Take special care when using the stairs, and always use support
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