Fall Factors

One of the top reasons that we get calls or inquiries about assisted living is when families have an elderly loved one who has had a fall.  Falls among seniors are unfortunately very common.  It was recently reported in the news that falls are the number one causes of both fatal and nonfatal injuries among people aged 65 and older.  The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that 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.  Now, falls can still occur in any environment but knowing what to watch for and having others looking out for you can help avoid potential falls.

 

Here are some key factors from the National Council on Aging to consider regarding falls:

 

• Balance and gait: As we age, most of us lose some coordination, flexibility, and balance— primarily through inactivity, making it easier to fall.
• Vision: In the aging eye, less light reaches the retina—making contrasting edges, tripping hazards, and obstacles harder to see.
• Medications: Some prescriptions and over-the-counter medications can cause dizziness, dehydration or interactions with each other that can lead to a fall.
• Environment: Most seniors have lived in their homes for a long time and have never thought about simple modifications that might keep it safer as they age.
• Chronic conditions: More than 80% of older adults have at least one chronic condition like diabetes, stroke, or arthritis. Often, these increase the risk of falling because they result in lost function, inactivity, depression, pain, or multiple medications.

 

Be aware of these factors and keep the dialogue open with your loved ones regarding falls and the issues related to them.  Ask questions and be proactive if you notice changes in health and/or behavior.

Sleep On It

There’s an Irish Proverb that says: “A good laugh and a long sleep are the two best cures for anything.”

I’m no morning person and if I don’t get my rest…I am even less charming.  It’s so true that sleep deprivation can wreak havoc on anyone.  According to the National Institute on Aging, “Older adults need about the same amount of sleep as all adults—7 to 9 hours each night. But, older people tend to go to sleep earlier and get up earlier than they did when they were younger.”  Lack of sleep isn’t good for anyone.  But in the elderly it can be particularly troublesome.

Senior citizens with sleep deprivation are at a higher risk for:

• Having more cognitive issues and memory problems
• Mood problems such as depression and irritability
• Increased risk of falling and other accidents

But just because you are in the older age demographic does not mean that you can’t be proactive about your sleep.

Here are 6 Steps to Better Sleep from the Mayo Clinic.

1. Stick to a sleep schedule

Set aside no more than eight hours for sleep. The recommended amount of sleep for a healthy adult is at least seven hours. Most people don’t need more than eight hours in bed to achieve this goal.  Go to bed and get up at the same time every day.

2. Pay attention to what you eat and drink

Don’t go to bed hungry or stuffed. In particular, avoid heavy or large meals within a couple of hours of bedtime. Your discomfort might keep you up.  Nicotine, caffeine and alcohol deserve caution, too.

3. Create a restful environment

Create a room that’s ideal for sleeping. Often, this means cool, dark and quiet. Exposure to light might make it more challenging to fall asleep. Avoid prolonged use of light-emitting screens just before bedtime. Consider using room-darkening shades, earplugs, a fan or other devices to create an environment that suits your needs.

4. Limit daytime naps

Long daytime naps can interfere with nighttime sleep. If you choose to nap, limit yourself to up to 30 minutes and avoid doing so late in the day.  If you work nights, however, you might need to nap late in the day before work to help make up your sleep debt.

5. Include physical activity in your daily routine

Regular physical activity can promote better sleep. Avoid being active too close to bedtime, however.  Spending time outside every day might be helpful, too.

6. Manage worries

Try to resolve your worries or concerns before bedtime. Jot down what’s on your mind and then set it aside for tomorrow.

 

Working towards developing good sleep patterns can result in better health.  But always be sure to report your sleep concerns to your physician.  They can help determine if medications or a medical condition are a factor that may need intervention.

 

 

If the Shoe Fits

As I continue my discussion about falls, I thought I might provide a little comic relief to share my most embarrassing fall.  Picture this.  It’s my little girl’s dance recital dress rehearsal.  Mamas, Grandmas, and some Dads are all up in arms trying to make sure they have their little Susie’s right shoes with the right costume and heaven knows we must have on ENOUGH makeup to be “stage appropriate” too.  Well amongst all this chaos we had a routine (or at least a performer) that was about to be cut because one of our senior level dancers was sick and was not able to partner with the junior performer for this cute little number.  Well as they say “the show must go on” and our ever improvising and quick thinking director called out from the curtain…” Is Heather Bradley in the building”?  SAY WHAT??  Oh dear woman, you do jest.  Nope, she was quite serious.  And within moments this child with big crocodile tears that was about to have to sit out was being twirled and tossed by yours truly.  So I fell on my face on the stage during the routine right?  No…wait for it.  We got through the routine and I was feeling pretty good for a washed up former tap dancer.  So as I slipped back into my wedges and started bounding down the stairs…it happened.  I fell down the steps with such graceless effort that I literally fell flat on my face.  Well, I fell on my hands to be more specific.  My friend Renee said I jumped back up so quickly though that I looked like a cartoon character.  So as I jump up to quickly assure everyone that I am truly okay, I make a discovery.  My shoe is broken, my watch is broken and I soon discover at the ER (where my friend Sam insisted I get checked out when she sees blood coming from my wrist) that my hand is also quite broken.  So when I speak to you about falls, trust me I am a professional.  It takes a pro to fall off a stage in front of an auditorium packed full of people.

So the shoe.  Let me tell you it was the source of the fall.  So when I tell you that ill-fitting shoes can be a hazard, I know from first-hand experience.  Now granted most elderly adults are not bounding down the steps of a stage.  But if your shoes don’t fit properly you can be stepping off a curb or standing up for that matter and the shoes can become a fall hazard.  Another important thing to consider is foot care.  Many seniors don’t have the ability to trim their toenails anymore.  Throw in the fact that many are diabetic and this adds additional risk and you can see how toenails can wreak havoc and up the ante in the fight against falls.  Foot pain and poor footwear have been cited by the Center for Disease Control as one of the major contributing factors for falls in the elderly.  So be sure that you check your loved ones’ shoes and make sure that they fit well and are in good condition.  Also, check their toenails and see that they are trimmed regularly by someone that knows what they are doing and especially if they are diabetic.  Regular checkups are important, right?  It is equally important to get your feet checked out too!

Be an advocate if Mom’s feet have been missed in the examination.  Most physicians include this in a comprehensive check.  But believe me, I have seen it be missed.  Don’t be afraid to speak up and make sure that foot health is a consideration.  While my middle aged broken hand healed up nicely after my fall, a fall for a senior can be much more devastating because as we age we become more frail.  Taking proper precautions can help your loved one from being one of the 2.8 million older Americans that is treated in the ER annually for falls.  So be smart and evaluate these issues and it will help everyone keep one foot safely in front of the other.

Falling For You

Before I began working in the senior living industry the word FALL didn’t strike fear into my heart.   No on the contrary it would spark images of leaves turning to brilliant hues of gold and crimson and the sound of them crunching under our feet as me and the neighborhood children would play flag football in the yard.  It would spark memories of the delicious smells of the season from my favorite pumpkin spice candles to Mom’s homemade chili brewing on the stove.  Ah yes, the innocence and tranquility of it all.  But I digress.  And who am I kidding that football usually turned into an all-out brawl anyway.  But seriously FALLS as we know them and how they relate to our seniors are a very big deal!

By the numbers…

• According to the CDC “each year, millions of older people—those 65 and older—fall. In fact, more than one out of four older people falls each year, but less than half tell their doctor. Falling once doubles your chances of falling again.”  The CDC also reports that “adjusted for inflation, the direct medical costs for fall injuries are $31 billion annually.  Hospital costs account for two-thirds of the total.”

It is imperative that we take measures to try and help prevent falls if at all possible.  Sure this seems very idealistic!  But it is also helpful if we take a practical approach.  You may not can prevent all falls.  But you can take appropriate measures to keep someone safe.  So where do you start?   This is an important question no matter where you live.  Today we will start with the first thing you can do.

Keep your area safe…

I remember a friend from church once asked me to come over and look at their parents’ home and see if anything jumped out at me as to why their parent kept falling.  Walk with me if you will….we start up the concrete steps to the home that has no handrail.  This takes us to the kitchen where a cute blind dog nips at your knees.  We cross down to the living area that is situated on the split level property across from the bathroom.  In the tiny bathroom there is a sliding glass door shower/tub with no handrails and a towel bar that is dangling from the wall.  I can’t make this stuff up.  Did I mention that the home was also poorly lit?  I really couldn’t see why they needed my help discerning the safety issues within this home.  The entire place was a hotbed for concussions and broken hips!  So always ASSESS your FALL RISKS within your living space.

Key things to pay attention to include:

Clutter-get rid of it!  Make sure you don’t have junk making an obstacle course for you to maneuver around.

Lighting-make sure you can see!  Also make use of nightlights.  What you CAN’T see CAN hurt you.

And also watch for HOME HAZARDS such as:

• broken or uneven steps,
• throw rugs or clutter that can be tripped over, and
• no handrails along stairs or in the bathroom.

There are absolutely multiple risk factors and reasons for falls to occur.  But if you do your best to make sure your space (or your loved one’s space) is as safe as possible, you are increasing your odds of NOT becoming a statistic in the fight against FALLS.

What Can I Do To Keep My Senior Parent From Falling?

As the adult child of a senior parent, we live in fear of the day we get that phone call telling us that something has happened to one of our parents.  Sometimes it’s a medical emergency, but most of the time it’s that our parent has fallen.  Falls occur in one out of every 3 adults over the age of 65. Each year, more than 1.6 million senior adults go to the emergency department for fall related injuries.  Among older adults, falls are the number one cause of fractures, hospital admissions for trauma, loss of independence, and injury deaths.

Hip fractures are one of the most serious types of fall injury. They are a leading cause of injury and loss of independence, among older adults. Most healthy, independent older adults who are hospitalized for a broken hip are able to return home or live on their own after treatment and rehabilitation. Most of those who cannot return to independent living after such injuries had physical or mental disabilities before the fracture. Many of them will need long-term care.

What can I do to prevent my Mom or Dad from falling and breaking her hip? While falls in senior adults are common, there are things we can do to reduce the risk of falling for our parents.

Do a walk thru at your Mom’s home and ask yourself these questions:

• Are there clear pathways throughout the house?
• If your Mom or Dad uses a walker or a cane, make sure there is enough room to maneuver without tripping or bumping into furniture.
• Are there steps or variations in floor height inside the house?
• Is there adequate light, especially at night when Mom or Dad may get up to go to the bathroom?
• Make sure there are night lights in the bathrooms, hallways and in the bedroom.   De-clutter the house.  Let’s face it; we all like to hang on to things.  Clutter, especially when it makes it difficult to maneuver with a walker or cane, can lead to falls.

If your Mom or Dad has an unsteady gait or has fallen in the past ask her physician if she can get physical therapy to improve her gait and help with endurance.  Medicare and most insurance cover the cost of physical therapy and it can even be provided in the home if necessary.  Ask your Mom’s physician to check her Vitamin D level.  Vitamin D deficiency has been linked to falls in senior adults and if the level is low, ask about a Vitamin D supplement.

Remember, falls can be serious and often have other serious consequences or complication down the road.  But you can be pro-active now and take the necessary steps to prevent fall risks today.