Why Do Seniors Fall?
A person who falls once is twice as likely to fall again. That’s definitely something that you want to avoid as you grow older, but what are the most common fall risks?
General Decline in Overall Fitness
A great many aging adults find themselves more sedentary than they used to be and that has a dramatic effect on muscles, flexibility, and balance. Becoming more active can help with this, but that comes with a certain amount of risk if you’ve already lost some fitness. Talk to your doctor about the best way to regain some of your overall physical fitness safely.
Illness or Injury
Illnesses or injury, especially surgeries, can cause serious problems in regard to fall risk. You may find yourself unable to move in the ways that you need to in order to be mobile safely and that’s a big problem. Depending on the type of surgery, you may also be using assistive devices you’re not as familiar with and that can be tricky.
Medication Side Effects
All medications have side effects, even ones you’ve taken for a while. In the past, those side effects might not have seemed like they were that big a deal, but as you add more medications or as your body chemistry changes, that can change very quickly. Dizziness, drowsiness, and more complicated side effects like lowered blood pressure can all have a huge effect on your ability to avoid a fall.
Trouble Seeing Obstacles
You can’t avoid what you can’t see and that’s why it’s important to get your vision checked regularly. Your eye doctor can help to determine if your vision is changing to the extent that you should be taking more steps toward protecting yourself as you move through the world. It might be important to increase lighting in your home, for example, if you are experiencing low vision.
Hazards in the Environment
The environment you spend the majority of your time in can also be a risk factor. If you’ve got a lot of clutter or there are loose rugs in your home, that can very quickly turn into a hazard. It’s a good idea to periodically do safety sweeps of your home to determine if there’s anything that poses a new or especially dangerous fall risk.
Having a medical alarm with fall detection can be a huge help if you or someone you love experiences one or more of these risk factors. The fall detection device works automatically to not only detect a possible fall but to put in motion the steps that get help on the way as quickly as possible.
If you or an aging loved-one are considering choosing a personal emergency response system in South County, MO, please contact the friendly staff at Around The Clock Medical Alarms.
Call Us: 877.449.5566
