Falls prevention
Understanding your risk for falling
One in four Americans falls every year, and 20% of them are injured when they fall. Falls are the number one cause of hip fractures in older adults and can cause death.
Your fall risk increases with age, often due to:
- Balance issues
- Medical conditions such as heart or foot problems
- Medications that cause sleepiness, dizziness or confusion
- Muscle weakness
- Vision problems
But falls are not an inevitable part of aging. You can help prevent falls with rehabilitation therapy at Good Samaritan.
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A comprehensive approach to falls prevention
At Good Samaritan, we are actively helping adults over age 65 learn their fall risk status through screenings and receive the health care they need to prevent them.
We follow a falls prevention strategy known as STEADI. This Centers for Disease Control and Prevention initiative is about “Stopping Elderly Accidents, Deaths & Injuries.”
STEADI features three core elements:
- Screening an older adult for fall risk
- Assessing an older adult’s risk factors
- Intervening to reduce risk by giving older adults tailored intervention
Practical tips for older adults
If you feel you are at risk of falling, it’s important to discuss your concerns with your doctor and get screened regularly. Your care team will talk with you and your loved ones about how to prevent falls.
This includes:
- Making your home safer
Read our tips for reducing your risk of falling at home - Rehab therapy or exercise classes
Learn what to expect in rehab therapy - Screenings
Find a screening event near you
Falls screening assessments
Screenings are simple assessments that involve sitting in a chair, standing up, walking a certain distance and then returning to a chair to sit down again. This checks your gait, balance and strength. You’ll learn your risk status and how to stay steady on your feet.
When screening for susceptibility to a fall, older adults are asked:
- Have you fallen in the last year?
- Do you feel unsteady when you are standing or walking?
- Do you worry about falling or have a fear of falling?
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Falls prevention resources
Screenings help prevent falls in older adults
Falling doesn’t have to be an inevitable part of aging. There are many strategies people can use to help prevent falls, starting with education and screenings.
Reduce risk of falling
While some falls at home are caused by health-related issues such as poor eyesight, medication interactions and weakened muscles, many falls happen because of the set-up of your home and are easily preventable.
Start exercising to prevent falls
If you’ve reached retirement age, statistics say you’re at a higher risk for falling. Exercise is a key technique for reducing the risk of serious health problems or long-term disability.
Falls prevention Q&A
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What are some ways to prevent falls?
Interventions include:
- Choosing the right footwear with sturdy, nonskid soles.
- Getting an annual eye and hearing exam. Replace eyeglasses as needed. Have your hearing checked and use hearing aids if needed.
- Making your home safer by removing clutter and tripping hazards.
- Speaking up and talking openly with your health care provider about falls risk and prevention. Ask them to review your medicines.
- Staying mobile by beginning an exercise program or class to improve your strength and balance.
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What are the best falls interventions?
There are many strategies people can use to help prevent falls, starting with education and screenings.
Screening events held across Good Samaritan help older adults by educating them and assessing their risk so they can take proactive measures to prevent falls.
At our screenings, rehab therapy teams provide a comfortable environment where participants can ask questions.
Sometimes, participants are referred to physical therapy. They may also be referred to occupational therapy to have a home safety assessment done. An assessment will help participants learn how to make their homes safer.
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How can I help prevent an older person from falling?
Encourage loved ones to get screened so they can find out their risk level for falls. Screenings are simple and take a short amount of time. Being screened annually is an important way to help prevent falls.
You can also make sure they:
- Choose good footwear (non-skid sole, less than a one-inch heel and laces that aren’t too loose)
- Exercise to improve strength and balance
- Remove any rugs in their home
- Seek out rehab therapy
- Take their time when walking to the bathroom
- Use nightlights
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What exercises help prevent falls?
Simple strength and resistance training exercises can be easily incorporated into your daily routine to decrease your risk and keep you physically active.
If your doctor clears you to exercise, there are several “counter” exercises you can do that allow you to have your kitchen countertop to hold onto.
Focus on doing things that challenge your balance. One exercise involves standing with your feet together for a narrow base of support and then standing on each leg for a few seconds.
Doing some head turns and walking sideways are other ways that work on balance and help prevent falls.
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