Fall Prevention for Seniors
A best way to stay out of a long term care facility is to stay healthy and prevent falling down.
Use this booklet from the CDC to identify areas where you can reduce your risk of injury:
Check for Safety A Home Fall Prevention Checklist for Older Adults
Risks for Falling and What to Do About Them
Use of tranquilizers or sleeping pills (aka: benzodiazepines)
- Speak with your doctor or pharmacist about your medication and any possible side effects such as dizziness or drowsiness
Visual impairment
- Visit your eye doctor every year
- Bifocal or progressive lenses can give you a “swimming” feeling and effect depth perception as you walk- think about getting one pair for reading and one for walking around
- Install brighter lights throughout your home, in hallways and at the top of stairway
Urinary incontinence
- Speak to your doctor about sudden urges to go to the bathroom or if you are unable to get to the bathroom in time
- Ask your doctor if you can change when you take medications so you are less likely to need to go the bathroom during the night (ex: diuretics-also known as fluid or water pills)
Functional limitations
- Wear properly fitted shoes inside and outside (& tie your shoe laces)
- install handrails on all stairways
- install grab bars in the bathroom
- use a raised toilet seat and shower bench
- you look better using a cane or walker at home or in the community than falling down
Other Risk Factors
- Lack of exercise leads to decreased muscle strength
- Regularly do strength and balance exercises such as walk, dance, garden, bicycle (check with your doctor first)
Poor nutrition and dehydration can leave you weak with little energy
- Eat healthy food from all of the food groups and drink plenty of water
Drinking alcohol can cause unsteadiness and slow reaction time as well as interact with medications
- Avoid regular &/or excessive alcohol intake