Humpty Dumpty had a great fall.
Falling – that is the subject of this article. A friend once told me an easy way to avoid falling is to constantly remain seated. Of course, that is not possible, and I don’t take any of his advice seriously. But falling is a serious issue.
When I was a young man (many many years ago) and fell, I would just pick myself up, dust myself off, and start all over again. Well you get the picture. However, now that I am a senior falling has taken on a completely different meaning. Broken bones, fractured ankles, displaced hips, head injuries, and worse. Unfortunately, death is even possible.
My predecessor Marilyn Gillis had written an article that I just reviewed on “Safety tips for avoiding falls” that is just as relevant now as it was when first published. The following tips are just a few of those she had mentioned:
Keep your floors free of clutter. Arrange furniture to provide open walking pathways.
Keep living areas well lit.
Remove small throw rugs or use nonskid mats to keep them from slipping
Protect yourself by being alert to your environment and eliminating hazards that might cause falls.
There are many more tips that could be listed, but I think you get the picture. Now let’s talk about an issue I’m sure all of you can relate to. The issue of seniors living alone.
Several weeks ago, a friend mentioned that her mother – a senior who lives alone – had fallen and broken her hip. She was unable to call for help and remained on the floor for 20 hours before she was discovered and given assistance. This is not an isolated incident but occurs with more frequency then you may realize.
What’s the answer?
There are several ways to avoid this situation. One is to use the “help me I’ve fallen and can’t get up” approach. I had thought of this advertisement as amusing but no longer. There are many security companies that offer 24/7 help in the event of a medical emergency. Most can be accessed online for information that will fit your needs. Review them.
Another way is to know your neighbors. If your neighbor lives alone, remember to keep an eye open for them, so they are not “unaccounted for” for a lengthy period. Are their newspapers being collected, their mail?
We must realize that we are not the youngsters we were and need monitoring at times, especially when living alone.
Remember: “Humpty dumpty sat on a wall, Humpty Dumpty had a great fall. All the king’s horses and all the king’s men could not put Humpty Dumpty together again.”
• An Article by Bob Gienko and the NHN/NW Committee.
