Simple Things to Do to Avoid Falling

Falls are among the top causes of injuries and hospitalizations among the elderly. In some cases, it has even resulted in death. Millions of seniors fall every year. One in every four senior citizens falls yearly. However, less than 50% inform their physicians. It’s of paramount importance that we as older adults should do the necessary steps to avoid falling such as the ones recommended by healthcare professionals providing home care services in Tennessee and save us from injuries and fatal falling accidents. Read on to know the steps that we can do to prevent falls.

• Talk to our physician

  Talking with our physicians is very beneficial to us when it comes to preventing falls. We can ask him/her or our healthcare provider to assess our risk of falling and ask for suggestions about particular things to do. Another thing we can ask our physician or pharmacist is to have them review our medications and check whether there’s any medicine that may make us dizzy or sleepy. Both prescription and over-the-counter medicines should be included. We may ask for advice on taking vitamin D supplements as well.

• Do exercises focused on strength and balance

  Exercises, especially the ones that strengthen our legs and enhance our balance minimize our chances of falling. One good example of these types of exercise is Tai Chi. Our caregivers can help us do these particular exercises.

• Have our eyes checked

  One of the things that our healthcare provider will recommend is to have an eye doctor check our eyes at a minimum of one eye check-up each year. Let’s make sure that we update our glasses if required as well. When we see clearly, we can avoid the things that can make us fall.

• Make our home safer

  One of the best things to do to avoid falls is to make our homes safer. We can get rid of the things that could cause us to trip over. We can add safety items like grab bars in the tub and shower areas as well as next to the toilet. Other things we can do are putting railings on each side of our stairs, making sure our home has enough lights and using non-slip mats on the shower floors and in the bathtub. These are some of the things recommended by healthcare professionals like those at home health care in Nashville, Tennessee.

At Able Helpers Homecare, we have highly qualified healthcare professionals to help you avoid falling. Feel free to contact us to know more about our home care services which include respite care.