Safety strategies for healthy aging

Healthy aging refers to the ongoing process of making lifestyle improvements to maintain one’s physical and mental well-being. This article focuses on how to reduce the risks of falling – which is the leading cause of fatal and nonfatal injuries among older adults.¹ Injury from falls also results in three million older people getting treated in emergency departments every year.¹

Lower your risk of falling at home.

Let’s face it. The fear of falling becomes more common as we age. In some cases, this fear can lead to avoiding everyday activities. But the good news is, there are simple ways to prevent most falls so you can continue to stay active and remain safe at home.

Practice home safety by taking these simple steps:

• Install side rails on both sides of all stairs inside and outside of your home.
• Put grab bars inside and outside your bathtub or shower and next to the toilet.
• Use non-slip mats in the bathtub or shower.
• Keep rugs from slipping -- remove small rugs or use double-sided tape to keep them in place.
• Remove clutter from stairs and places where you normally walk and can trip over, like power cords, shoes, or books.
• Place kitchen items in easy-to-reach cabinets or shelves.

Additional safety tips for when you’re at home:

• Wear shoes with non-slip soles and don’t walk barefoot.
• When you're getting to stand up after sitting, rise slowly.
• When you're getting out of bed, sit up first and then stand up.

Consider getting a fall risk assessment.

In many cases, you can prevent falls from happening using a fall risk assessment to identify your risk factors for falling. According to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, all adults 65 years and older should have an initial fall risk screening. Your provider might ask you whether you feel unsteady when standing or walking, have fallen in the past year, or worry about falling. They also may use these fall risk assessment tools to test balance, strength, and pattern of walking:

• 30-Second Chair Stand Test

  Your healthcare provider asks you to sit in a chair with your arms crossed to prevent you from using your arms for support. Then they count the number of times you can stand up and sit down in 30 seconds.

• Four Stage Balance Test

  You hold four different positions for 10 seconds each. Positions vary in difficulty with the fourth one involving standing on one foot.

• Timed Up and Go (TUG)

  You start by sitting in a chair with armrests. Next, you get up and walk 10 feet at your usual pace and return to the chair to sit down. If it takes you 12 seconds or more to complete this exercise, you likely have a high fall risk.

• Cognitive Test

  Your healthcare provider might also check for any problems with thinking.

We care about you and want to keep you healthy. We encourage you to discuss fall risk prevention during your next doctor’s appointment.

Source

¹Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. Web–based Injury Statistics Query and Reporting System (WISQARS) [online]. Accessed August 5, 2016