Summary
- Strategies for reducing fall risk and resources for additional help.
- Fall risk increases with age due to declining eyesight and hearing loss.
Voice of Experience
How to Prevent Falls and Disabilities
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About 40 years ago, Michael Douglas starred in a psychological thriller called “Falling Down.” The movie dramatizes the stresses of daily life that can lead to emotional, mental, and physical collapse. It features the cityscape of Los Angeles and music by James Newton Howard. Watch the movie on Amazon or Apple and listen to its soundtrack on YouTube.
Falls can lead to disability from brain damage, fractured bones, and muscle sprains. Fall risk increases with age due to declining eyesight and hearing loss. Falls also result from age-related medical conditions like arthritis, diabetes, and heart disease. Below are strategies for reducing fall risk and resources for additional help.
Strategies
- Checkups – use a checklist to assess your fall risk.
- Devices – wear a pendant or smartwatch to detect falls and call for help.
- Distractions – suspend the use of smartphones and headphones when driving, exercising, or walking.
- Exercise – maintain strength and stability with daily exercise (i.e., aerobics, strengthening, and yoga).
- Footwear – prevent trips by wearing practical shoes (e.g., slip-ons, low heels, etc.).
- Gait – take slow, steady steps when walking; use a walking stick for balance and support.
- Health – get annual health, hearing, and vision checkups.
- Medication – avoid medications that cause confusion, dizziness, lightheadedness, or muscle loss.
- Posture - focus on standing straight to distribute weight evenly and improve balance.
- Seating – improve chair safety by tightening legs, locking rollers, and replacing worn-out seats.
- Upgrade – add grab bars, eliminate clutter, improve lighting, install railings, and remove rugs.
Resources
Falls can cause disability, injury, and pain. Although risk increases with age, falls are preventable. Use the strategies and resources mentioned in this article to help yourself, your family, and your friends to avoid falling down.
Articles
- Falls at Home, NIH, Jan 10, 2024.
- Preventing Falls with Exercise, Johns Hopkins, Sep. 13, 2019.
- Workplace Falls, University of Washington, Apr. 2, 2023.
- What to Do After You Fall, Performance Health, Dec. 2, 2019.
Books
- Fall Prevention, Infinity Publishing, May 24, 2008.
- Hearing and Balance, Mayo Clinic, Feb. 22, 2022.
- Exercises to Improve Stability and Prevent Falls, Harvard Medical School, Jul. 31, 2012.
- Guide to Tai Chi, Harvard Medical School, Apr. 9, 2013.
Checklists
- Checkups (National Council on Aging)
- Homes (CDC)
- Seating (NEMC)
- Workplaces (University of Maryland)
Devices
Exercise
Websites
Author