Fall Prevention: Reduce Risk, Improve Balance

Understanding Why Falls Happen

Falls often occur because of multiple factors working together. It’s not usually just one thing. For fall prevention, it’s helpful to consider all possible causes and risk factors. Some of the leading causes of death among older adults are falls. There’s a lot you can do to help prevent falls. Let’s look at some of the ways to do just that.

Your Health and Your Doctor

Your health care journey starts with making a doctor’s appointment. They can assess your risk of falling and help you create a personalized plan to stay safe. Expect them to ask about any past falls, how you walk, and your overall health. They will ask about all the medications you take, even those over-the-counter ones. These questions are important to know before an appointment. The answers help the physician understand your risk of falling and find ways to help prevent serious injury.

• Medications

  Some medicines like sedatives, antidepressants, blood pressure drugs, and sleep aids can make you feel drowsy, dizzy, sleepy, or unsteady. These factors can increase your chance of falling. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about all the medicines you take, including those you buy without a prescription. They will review your fall-risk-increasing drugs (FRIDs). This practice can help you minimize the risk of falls related to medication. Before taking any new medicines, particularly if you’ll be active, check if it has warnings about pain or other side effects that might impact your judgment or stability.

• Eyesight and Hearing

  Even small changes in your eyesight or hearing can increase the likelihood of falls. Regular eye and hearing check-ups are important for older individuals. Ensuring you wear your glasses or hearing aids as your doctor recommends helps decrease a person’s risk of falls. If you wear glasses with different strengths for close and far vision (multifocal lenses), be extra careful when walking, especially on stairs. These lenses can make it harder for a person to judge the distance between steps. Ear and hearing problems, as well as wax buildup, can affect balance in older individuals.

• Dizziness When Standing Up

  Sometimes, standing up too quickly can cause your blood pressure to drop. This might make you feel dizzy or lightheaded. This sensation is a common cause of falls among older people. To help prevent this, try to drink enough fluids during the day. This can raise your blood volume and help keep your blood pressure steady.

  When you stand up, take a moment to ensure you feel steady before moving. Safety when starting to walk involves slow, steady movements. You can also try simple leg exercises like crossing your legs or tensing your muscles before standing to help your blood flow.

• Weakness and Balance

  Muscles weaken as we age, and our balance may not be as good as it used to be. This instability makes falls more likely. Older adults who have muscle weakness have an increased risk due to a combination of pain and other difficulties that arise when they can’t move as easily.

• Other Health Conditions

  If you live with arthritis, diabetes, or other health challenges, you might notice changes in your walking, balance, or foot sensation. Keeping these conditions well-managed is a critical step to stay steady and help prevent falls.

Stay Active and Strong With Fall Prevention Exercises

• Being physically active is one of the best ways to prevent falls. It helps keep your muscles strong and improves poor balance. Activities such as walking, Tai Chi, or yoga are excellent choices for maintaining physical health at any age, including during the aging process. They can help you feel steadier on your feet and prevent falls in older adults.
• Simple exercises can help build leg strength and improve your stability, such as standing up from a chair without using your hands for support. You can also try standing with your feet apart, then closer together, and eventually on one foot, holding onto a sturdy surface for support.
• Before you start any new exercise routine, it’s a good idea to talk with someone on your care team, either your doctor or physical or occupational therapist. They can help make sure the activity is safe for you and the right fit for your current health needs.
• Getting enough sleep helps you stay alert and focused during the day, which can also help prevent falls. Eating a balanced diet gives your body the nutrients it needs to keep your bones and muscles strong. Together, sleep and nutrition support your overall health and help you stay well as you age.

Make Your Home Safer to Prevent Falls

Many falls happen at home, but you can make your living space much safer. Be aware of the risk factors when adapting your home as you age.

• Clear Pathways: Remove clutter, such as clothes, electrical cords, or toys, from walkways. You are less likely to fall when there’s nothing in the way when performing daily tasks.
• Secure Rugs: Use non-slip backings or tape to keep area rugs from sliding. Or, consider removing throw rugs altogether. Slipping on a rug is one of the most common reasons for hip fractures.
• Good Lighting: Ensure all areas of your home are well-lit, particularly hallways, stairs, and bathrooms. Use night lights in bedrooms and hallways for nighttime trips. Keep a flashlight handy by your bed. Ensure the light switches are easily accessible and within reach. Other lower levels in your home, such as the basement, should be well lit. Lack of light can affect a person of any age’s perception of depth and distance.
• Install Handrails and Grab Bars: Put handrails on both sides of the stairs. It’s also an excellent idea to install grab bars in your bathroom, both near the toilet and in the shower or tub. These offer extra support, especially since falls on hard bathroom floors can often lead to more serious injuries due to the nearby fixtures.
• Store Items Safely: Keep things you use often within easy reach so you don’t have to stretch or climb. Talk with your doctor if you’d like a physical or occupational therapist to visit your home. They can often help spot hidden dangers and suggest changes.

Choose the Right Shoes

• The shoes you wear can prevent slips and trips.
• Look for shoes that fit well, have a flat or low heel (no more than about one inch off the floor), and have non-skid soles made of rubber. They should feel comfortable and secure around your foot and ankle, have laces, Velcro, zippers, or buckles that keep them snugly in place.
• It’s best to avoid high heels, floppy slippers, and smooth-soled shoes, as they can easily lead to slips or trips. And watch out, walking in socks on a slippery floor can be risky too.

Be Careful When Out and About:

• Falls can happen anywhere. When you’re away from home, pay attention to your surroundings.
• Look out for uneven sidewalks, curbs, or anything in your path.
• Be extra cautious when the weather is bad and the walking surfaces are wet, icy, or snowy.
• Use available handrails.
• Walk at a comfortable pace that feels safe for you.
• If your hands are full, don’t be afraid to ask for help carrying items.

How to Minimize Injury If You Fall

Learning how to safely fall can help reduce the risk of falls and associated injuries. Hip fractures from a fall are a common injury in older people. Not only does age increase the risk factors, but individuals with underlying medical conditions are also at a higher risk.

• If you feel yourself falling, try to relax your body and “go limp” instead of stiffening or tensing up your body.
• If you find yourself falling backward, try to lower your chin to your chest to protect your head, and then aim to roll along your back.
• If falling forward, try to land on your hands and knees to spread out the impact and protect your face.
• If falling sideways, try to turn your body to land on your back and roll with the fall, tucking your chin.
• After a fall, stay calm and check how you feel to see if you hurt anywhere before trying to move.
• If it’s safe to do so, roll onto your side, then slowly shift to your hands and knees. From there, you can crawl towards a sturdy chair and use it for support as you get back on your feet.
• If you’re unable to get up, call for help. If you’re alone, use a mobile phone or a medical alert device, if available.
• Even if you don’t think you’re badly hurt, always let your healthcare providers know if you’ve had a fall. They can help figure out what caused it and work with you to prevent future falls.

Fall Prevention is a Team Effort

Preventing falls is truly a team effort. It includes your family, caregivers, and your whole healthcare team. From your doctors and nurses to occupational and physical therapists. Together, we can spot potential risks, make your home safer, and create a plan to help you stay steady and independent.

If you are an older adult living alone with no close support network, ask your doctor for suggestions. Sometimes, they can prescribe a device you wear around your neck that has a security button. In an emergency or fall, you can push the button to call for help if you are unable to reach the phone. Most durable medical equipment providers (DME) also have these available. There are also other modifications available, like handrails and pull cords, for placement in the shower and in the toilet area.

Final thoughts for you to take away…

Falls can be very concerning for older adults and their caregivers. The good news is that you can prevent many falls. When you understand why falls occur and put a few practical strategies in place, you help reduce your chances of stumbling or taking a tumble. This knowledge means teaming up with your healthcare provider to review your medications and health conditions. It also means getting and staying active to build strength and balance, making small changes to make your home safer, choosing the right footwear, and always paying attention to your surroundings. But sometimes falls happen. You can help reduce your risk of injury by knowing how to fall. Understanding ways to prevent falls and maintain balance can help you stay independent for years to come.