September 22nd is Fall Prevention Awareness Day. I feel confident that most of the blog readers were unaware of this. We can’t stress the importance of fall prevention. At least we can celebrate the successes of prevention.
Here are some scary statistics. Every 11 seconds, an older person is treated in an ER for a fall. One in 3 Americans over the age of 65 will fall. Falls result in over 800,000 hospitalizations and more than 27,000 deaths.
There are 6 steps to preventing a fall:
- Find a good balance or exercise program. Example: Tai Chi.
- Talk with your Doctor. As podiatrists, we have braces and orthotics that can help prevent
- falls Review your medications. Changes and interactions affect stability.
- Check your vision
- Make your home safer
- Talk with family for support