Our Ask An Angel correspondent is Arlene Petersen, Certified Senior Advisor and Life Care Navigation Specialist in the area of senior home care.
Q. My children are always worrying about me. They think I am having issues keeping my balance. I think I am doing fine, but they insist I use a walker. I just can’t imagine myself doing this. Any suggestions?
A. I am 99.9 percent certain that your children are only thinking of your safety and health. Yet that doesn’t take away the feelings you are wrestling with. Giving in to a walker makes many emotions surface, and it probably feels like you are giving up your independence to a certain degree. In actuality, using a device like a walker helps you maintain your independence.
When asked, a senior will always tell me they want to remain independent in their home. What they may not consider is how to achieve that goal. Adaptable devices help accomplish that desire.
Falls are not unusual for individuals 65 and older — in fact, they are the second leading cause of accidental death in America. Seventy-five percent of these falls occur in the older adult population. A news article recently reported that Nancy Reagan, 91, almost fell at a public event. Senator Marco Rubio walked Mrs. Reagan down the aisle of the Reagan Library to applause from over 1,200 guests. As they neared her seat, she lost her footing and her cane appeared to slip. She began to fall toward a hard landing. Fortunately, Rubio caught her arm and Mrs. Reagan was assisted to her feet and to a chair.
Although Nancy was unhurt, her public slip is a reminder of the serious consequences and health complications associated with the slips, trips, and falls for our elderly. It became known Mrs. Reagan had previously suffered a fractured pelvis from a fall in 2008 that required hospitalization.
Age itself does not put you at risk for falls — in many cases as people age, they accumulate more conditions, illnesses, and impairments that make them more prone to accidents (including, but not limited to: balance problems, difficulties with memory, vision, hearing problems, decreased flexibility and strength, depression, etc.). In some cases, medication prescribed to address these impairments can also contribute to these falls by causing seniors to feel off-balance, altering blood pressure, or decreasing alertness.
According to the United States Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), approximately one out of three adults in the 65+ age group suffer a fall each year. The National Safety Council says falls are the leading cause of injury deaths for individuals age 65 and older. Since 2007, the CDC has reported more than 18,000 deaths of older adults from slips and falls.
The less mobile and functional a person is, the greater the chances of a fall. Although that may sound obvious, we should all be mindful of that for not only ourselves, but also for our loved-ones or while passing a senior on the street or in the supermarket.
Here are some fall prevention tips to help keep yourself and your family members safe:
•Be aware of blood pressure changes when rising from a lying or sitting position. Do it slowly. Do not stand if you feel any sign of dizziness.
•Exercise regularly – try leg strength, improved balance, gentle yoga, and other strengthening exercises such as Tai Chi, with your doctor’s approval.
•Make your home a safer place by reducing common tripping hazards (including, but not limited to clutter, rugs, poorly lit spaces, cords on the ground, etc.) The actual cause of Nancy Reagan’s fall? She tripped over a stanchion used to hold ropes for crowd control.
•It’s a good idea to install grab bars and railings in the bathroom and wherever else deemed appropriate.
•Have your or your loved-one’s eyes checked by an eye doctor frequently, at least once a year, and ensure eyeglasses are the correct prescription.
•Wear slippers with good soles around the house.
•Have a doctor review medicines, both prescription and over the counter, to determine if side effects or any interactions may cause drowsiness or dizziness.
If you are a member of a support group, social group, senior center, or church group and would like me to visit and speak about fall prevention, contact me and we can make arrangements for a talk. I can also send you a fall prevention brochure if you would like to learn more on a personal level. Please feel free to contact me at 847-429-0100 and I will mail one out to you.
Have a question for our angel correspondent? You can send our angel an email to apetersen@visitingangels.com or send your question via mail to Ask An Angel, 65 Woodbury St., South Elgin, IL 60177.
