The first day of fall is also the beginning of Fall Prevention Awareness Week. This national health campaign is observed on the first fall day to increase awareness about falls and injury prevention. Find out about the dangers and your risk in this article.
In the United States, about one in four adults (28%) age 65 and older report falling each year. In Idaho, this number is greater. About one in three adults (33.6%) age 65 and older report falling each year. While not all falls result in an injury, about 37% of those who fall reported an injury that required medical treatment or restricted their activity for at least one day.
Of all those people who fall, less than half tell their doctor. The problem with this is that falling once doubles your chance of falling again. Your doctor can advise you on fall prevention and perhaps diagnose why you lost your footing.
As Healthcare Professionals, Bluebird Health is acutely aware of the importance of fall prevention and how a fall can impact a person’s life and independence. Here are five quick facts about how dangerous falls can be.
When you experience a fall due to sudden loss of balance, or a medical condition, you have no warning. It’s so unexpected that you often can’t catch yourself. You’re just suddenly on the ground. You may find some road rash on your hands, but you barely remember how you fell; it happens so fast. Often your body takes the hit. This is why falls frequently result in head injuries and broken bones.
What Conditions Make You at Risk for Falling?
According to the CDC, the following risk factors can contribute to falling:
- Vision problems
- Vitamin D deficiency
- Lower body weakness
- Foot pain or poor footwear
- Difficulties with walking and balance
- Some medications (tranquilizers, sedatives, and some antidepressants)
- Home hazard or dangers (check back tomorrow for Fall Prevention PDF checklist)
See if You Are At Risk
Want to find out if you are at risk? Take this free fall quiz to see if you are at risk for a tumble.
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Bluebird Health brings joy through service to each of its three main programs: Home Health, Home Care Services and Hospice. We are raising the bar in the home healthcare industry. Contact us for more information.
