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Winter is the perfect time for caregivers and families of seniors to learn more about the health risks of falling.
Learn more about senior fall prevention and awareness.
Falls Prevention Awareness Day is an annual event promoting public awareness of how to prevent falls in elderly seniors, but it is important for all caregivers to know about the risks posed by senior falls every day of the year.
Our advisors help 300,000 families each year find the right senior care for their loved ones.
Many people don’t realize that falls are the number one cause of injuries — and injury death — in older Americans. One third of American seniors fall each year, resulting in more than 2.3 million emergency room visits annually, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Falls in older adults can easily cause injuries, and lead to severe effects on the emotional and physical quality of life. The CDC also lists these dangers of falling:
The facts sound dire, but as the National Council on Aging points out, “falling is not an inevitable result of aging.”
There are plenty of reasons to be optimistic: government programs are addressing falls as a public health issue, caregivers can take simple steps to reduce risks in the home and seniors themselves can take balance classes to improve fitness and mobility.
The best place to start in preventing senior falls is to take into account the potential causes of falling in older adults, whether it’s chronic conditions, lack of physical fitness, medications or vision problems. Knowing what the greatest risks are to your loved ones can help you more effectively prevent them from falling.
The Council on Aging has plenty of helpful tips for helping your loved ones prevent falls:
Are you a caregiver who has confronted the health risks of falling? Share your tips with us about senior fall prevention in the comments below.
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