September 22nd is designated as National Falls Prevention Awareness Day. This observance serves to increase awareness and to educate the public about the risks of falls and how to prevent them from happening. According to the National Council on Aging, falls are the leading cause of fatal and nonfatal injuries for older Americans.
\nA fall, with or without serious injury, can impact a person\u2019s quality of life. Older people have a significant fear of falling and will often limit their activities because of it. This can lead to physical decline, depression, social isolation and feeling helpless. However, if they exercise caution and follow these steps, they can reduce the risk of an accident and continue on with routine activities:
\n\u2022\u00a0Speak to a doctor about performing a risk of falling assessment
\n\u2022\u00a0Build up balance, strength and flexibility
\n\u2022\u00a0Have vision and hearing checked
\n\u2022\u00a0Remove tripping hazards in the home and make sure that there is adequate lighting
\n\u2022\u00a0Install grab bars in the bathroom
\n\u2022\u00a0Make sure that there are secure rails on all stairs
\n\u2022\u00a0Review\u00a0 medications to make sure they don\u2019t affect\u00a0 balance
\nIf you would like to schedule an appointment with a physician at Flushing Hospital Medical Center to discuss fall risk prevention, please call 718-670-5486.<\/p>\n
All content of this newsletter is intended for general information purposes only and is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please consult a medical professional before adopting any of the suggestions on this page. You must never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking medical treatment based upon any content of this newsletter. PROMPTLY CONSULT YOUR PHYSICIAN OR CALL 911 IF YOU BELIEVE YOU HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY.<\/strong> <\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" September 22nd is designated as National Falls Prevention Awareness Day. This observance serves to increase awareness and to educate the public about the risks of falls and how to prevent them from happening. According to the National Council on Aging, … Continue reading