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3 Important Fall Prevention Tips For Seniors

According to the Canadian Institute for Health Information, four out of five injury hospitalizations involving seniors are due to falls. Between 2017 and 2019, injury hospitalizations among seniors due to falls increased by nine percent or about 8,900 people. It was the largest increase among hospitalizations for seniors. In 2018, seniors accounted for more than half of all injury-related hospitalizations among Canadians.

As well, women made up almost two-thirds of seniors’ hospitalizations. Evidently, a lot must be done to prevent seniors from falling. What important steps should be taken? Here are three important fall prevention tips for seniors:

Schedule regular vision and hearing checkups.

Needless to say, older adults often contend with vision and hearing issues. It’s common for seniors to wear glasses and/or hearing aids. Does your elderly loved one require either? Don’t take it for granted that all is well if he/she wears either specs or a hearing device. Be sure to keep up with the prescriptions for lenses. As well, regularly check the batteries in the hearing aid used by your elderly loved one. The better he/she can see and hear, the easier it will be for him/her to be aware of his/her surroundings. This works wonders in preventing falls.

“Even small changes in vision and hearing can affect stability,” points out Claire Samuels on APlaceForMom.com, “Regular visits to the eye doctor and audiologist may help with elderly fall prevention.”

Promote a healthy diet.

The better the health of the senior in your life, the less prone he/she will be to slipping and falling. Overall health, strength and balance can be improved by drinking ample amounts of water each day and eating nutritious foods. NurseNextDoor.com recommends a diet rich in all of the essential nutrients and a lifestyle void of toxins.

“You won’t always be able to prevent a fall but you can decrease the effects of the fall by keeping your bones strong,” says the website, “You will want to make sure that your diet includes enough calcium and vitamin D. Remember that activities like smoking, alcohol use and being at an unhealthy weight can also decrease your bone mass and increase the likelihood of breaking a bone when you fall.”

Regularly address all medical conditions.

Is your elderly loved one regularly taking his/her medication? Does he/she require a mobility solution to walk or stand? Monitor the health condition of the older adult in your life with proper attention. As Samuels notes, infectious diseases and other medical concerns can make seniors feel weak or off-balance, causing them to fall.

“Some conditions are easily treatable, while others are more severe,” she writes, “Wondering how to prevent falls in the elderly due to potential infections and diseases? Talk to your loved one’s doctor about any other symptoms to see if an underlying condition could be responsible for falls.”

At LifeCare Mobility Solutions, we’re committed to the health and safety of your elderly loved ones. If you have any questions about our home health care products and mobility solutions, please don’t hesitate to call us at 416-267-9800 or email us at info@lifecaremobility.ca. You may also contact us by filling out the form on our Contact page!

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