Articles about home safety are featured regularly in popular newsletters and magazines. Low and no cost home modifications are quick fixes. Many of them you can do yourself or with minimum professional assistance. Handrails installed along staircases and in hallways, grab bars, improved lighting, and non-slip treads are at the top of most lists because the results are good.
The real question is why people do not implement simple fall prevention strategies. Questionnaires and studies indicate that most people understand the importance of fall prevention, but are reluctant to follow through:
- Reluctance to take exercise classes
- Reluctance to stop taking psychotropic medications
- Reluctance to have a home safety evaluation
- Reluctance to take osteoporotic medications
Most feel that they have pretty good reasons for not wanting to make changes, but are they good enough? For example:
- Exercise: most people said that they didn’t have time to exercise; they also thought that they were in better shape than they actually were.
- Psychotropic medications: These commonly include sleeping aids; anticipated sleep disruption is a concern shared by many.
- Home safety evaluations: most people feel that their home is already safe enough.
- Osteoporotic medications: concerns expressed about cost, safety, and efficiency.
Are these reasons good enough? Are you interested in knowing how to prevent a fall or would you rather just wait to see what happens?
Before you say anything, think about the two million people who are treated for fall related injuries every year. When a senior falls it is probably going to be more serious than a stubbed toe or a broken fingernail; we are talking about the real likelihood of brain injuries, hip fractures, immobility or even death.
Most falls are preventable. What are you going to do the next time you read an article on fall prevention?
Leave a Reply