Falls can take the fun right out of life. I remember cold (-10 degrees), icy days growing up in Central New York where slipping on ice-covered steps was a daily threat for me. I was much younger then and the most I’d worry about was a bruised tail-bone and embarrassment. As we age, falls can take a much different toll on our bodies. Now-a-days if I were to just slip and just lose my balance, I run the risk of spraining one or two somethings. I recently stepped off a curb wrong and ended up in a support boot up to my knee, FOR 2 MONTHS! The only bonus there was getting to the front of the line at the airport. Back to my point. For me falling now as opposed to 20 years ago is a big difference and I’m only 33. I know that 20 years from now, it’ll be a much different story, and 20 years from then, possibly fatal.
Yes. Fatal. Falls account for more than 27,000 deaths per year in the US according to the National Council on Aging (NCOA). They also say :
“Every 11 seconds, an older adult is treated in the emergency room for a fall;
Every 19 minutes, an older adult dies from a fall.”
Those are serious statistics. As a Home Care Professional, I have the daunting task of referring caregivers to victims of serious falls. 80% of the clients, whom I refer professional caregivers, have been injured by a fall. In the spirit of Fall Prevention, we’ve designed a quiz to help people of all ages to understand the severity.
We’ve also added 10 Tips to help in preventing potentially fatal incidence in and around the home. Check it out Here.
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