Every year, around one-third of people older than 65 experience falls. Many of them suffer fractures, brain damage, and other irreparable injuries.
Fall prevention is something that many families and senior care providers strive to achieve to protect their older loved ones from danger and harm. However, there are several unnoticeable things that families overlook that can surprisingly cause a fall.
Undiagnosed Foot Problems
Foot problems are a bigger threat to a senior’s safety and health than we thought. According to studies conducted by the Harvard School of Public Health, seniors who experience repetitive falls often report sore feet or flat feet as the cause of their fall.
Getting foot problems treated before they can cause more serious complications can be the key to reducing fall-related injuries and accidents among older adults.
Vision Changes/Problems
Vision changes and/or problems can appear early on. However, many older adults don’t realize this. Or if they do realize it, they put off treatment until after an accident has already occurred.
Regular eye checkups can help spot vision changes and problems before they can cause injury and harm. An ophthalmologist can recommend treatments and therapies to help you avoid developing vision impairments or correct your existing vision issues, thus reducing your risk of falling or tripping.
Some Medications Can Cause Falls
Several of our patients receiving home care services in Las Vegas, Nevada, require expert and keen medication management services to keep track of their prescriptions. What patients often don’t know is that medications — or a mixture of medications — may cause symptoms that can lead to falls and injuries.
Dizziness, nausea, blurry vision, and drowsiness are just a few examples of medication side effects that can heighten the risk of a senior falling.
Before starting a prescription, make sure to ask your doctor or pharmacist for possible medication side effects and interactions so you can come up with the best intervention to prevent possible accidents from happening due to these side effects and interactions.
Pets Can Be Fall Hazards
Despite the many benefits owning a pet can bring (e.g., improved mood, fitness, mental and emotional well-being, and stress relief), these furry friends can actually cause seniors to fall and/or trip. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, pets cause 1% of overall falls that result in injuries in elderly loved ones.
A senior may be pulled off balance while walking their dog or trip over a sleeping pet at home.
How Home Care Services Can Help
At Nurse Next Door Home Care Services, our goal is to provide our clients with top-of-the-line senior home care services that check all the boxes. You and your loved ones deserve the best quality of care available — and we’re proud to be able to give you what you need!
If you wish to learn more about our services, such as dementia care and in-home care in Las Vegas, feel free to contact us whenever you need!
