Slips, Trips and Falls

Fall Prevention Program

When Seniors Fall

• Consequences are serious, both to seniors and their families

• Leads to injury & sometimes fatal

• Can signal the beginning of the end for some senior’s independence

Why we need a fall prevention program:

“She says she wants to keep living in her home. We say it starts by keeping her on her feet.”

Did You Know?

• That 40 percent of all nursing home admissions are attributable to repeated falls at home?

Did You Know?

• That 1 out of every 3 seniors who lives independently in their homes will experience a major fall each year?

• The likelihood of falling if you are over 75 is even much greater.

• That 25% of seniors who suffer hip fractures die within one year?

Did You Know?

• That survivors of falls may experience debilitating fractures of the hip, wrists or spine?

• And finally did you know that falling, or the fear of falling, often times leads to loss of confidence, imposed isolation and immobility?

Elder Fall Prevention Act of 2002

“A national approach to reducing elder falls which focuses on the daily life of senior citizens in residential, institutional, and community settings is needed. The approach should include a wide range of organizations and individuals including family members, health care providers, social workers, employers and others. Reducing preventable adverse events, such as elder falls, is an important aspect to the agenda to improve their safety”.

External Factors

• Four or More Medications • Poor Lighting• Lack of regular medical & vision checkups

• Environment

Internal Factors

• Slowed reflexes• Balance disorders• Weakness/ tightness• Low blood pressure• Visual deficits• Edema or swelling• Disease

Risk Factors

• Risk of debilitating falls increase as the number of risk factors increase

Risk Factors

Osteoporosis: Literally means ‘porous’ bone. A condition in which the bone mass or density is less than would be expected for a person of a given age.

Risk Factors

• 65 years and over• Thin• Early onset of Menopause• Low calcium diet• Excess alcohol intake

Risk Factors

• Low blood pressure• Vision deficit/ Macular Degeneration

• Parkinson’s Disease• Alzheimer’s Disease• Fear of falling

Risk Factors

• Female• White or Asian• Family history of fall• Smoker• Overweight• Swaying when walking

Risk Factors

• Foot disorder or problem• Lack of exercise/ weakness• Prior stroke• Osteoarthritis of knees/ hips

• Ear disorders

What you Can Do to Prevent Falls

• Brown bag test – talk to your doctor & pharmacist at least once a year about your medications – more is better– Multiple medications can cause dizziness, drowsiness & balance problems

• Tell your doctor if you are experiencing vision or hearing loss

What you Can Do to Prevent Falls

• Have you or those around you noticed a change in your hearing?– Dizziness can occur with hearing loss

– Set up an appointment to have your hearing checked

What you Can Do to Prevent Falls

• Have you or those around you noticed a change in your vision?– Seeing obstacles is the first step in avoiding a fall

– Keep your glasses clean– Have your eyes examined once a year

What you Can Do to Prevent Falls

• If you have fallen in the past year (especially if you have fallen 2 or more times in the last 6 months) tell your Doctor and describe how and when you fell

What you Can Do to Prevent Falls

• Do you wear floppy slippers or a long bathrobe? – Wear well-fitting slippers with non-skid soles

– Avoid night clothing that drags on the floor and keep your robe tied

What you Can Do to Prevent Falls

• Tell your Doctor if you feel weak in your legs or have any other problems with your legs or feet, especially pain

What you Can Do to Prevent Falls

Do you have trouble: • Reaching overhead?

– Put commonly used items on shelves that are easy to reach

– If you must reach overhead, keep a sturdy stool available and handy

What you Can Do to Prevent Falls

Do you have trouble:• Picking up objects from the floor? – Plan ahead – Move the object closer to something sturdy to hold on to

– Purchase an object “grabber”

What you Can Do to Prevent Falls

Do you have trouble:• Getting in and out of the bathtub or shower? – Consider adding grab bars to the walls or using a tub seat to assist with bathing

– Non-skid tub mats and a hand held shower are also highly recommended

What you Can Do to Prevent Falls

Do you have trouble:• Getting in and out of a chair? – Avoid sitting on low furniture – Chairs with arms make it easier to get up

What you Can Do to Prevent Falls

Do you have trouble:• Walking without holding on to something?– If you feel unsteady without holding on to something, you may need an assistive device such as a cane or walker

Things to Consider in Your Home

Have a Home Assessment done to check for safety which includes lighting, flooring, stairs, clutter and furniture placement

Things to Consider in Your Home

Do you have:• Throw rugs?

– Throw rugs pose a tripping hazard– Tack down or remove

• Stairs without rails?– Using hand rails to go up and down stairs is easier and safer

– Add hand rails to all stairs if possible

Things to Consider in Your Home

Do you have:• Clutter in your walking space? – Clutter such as shoes, electrical cords, boxes and magazines are a safety hazard

– Keep pathways clear

Things to Consider in Your Home

Do you have:• Dark hallways or stairwells?

– Good lighting can reduce the chance of falling

– Consider adding nightlights where overhead lighting is lacking

– Add bright tape strips to the edge of each stair

– Always keep a charged flashlight near your bed for emergencies

– A night Light in the bathroom can also make night trips to the bathroom safer

Getting Up from a Fall

• Don’t panic• Assess the situation

– Take a few minutes to determine if you are hurt

Getting Up from a Fall

• Remain calm– Overreaction to a fall may cause more injury than the fall itself

• Do not attempt to get up if you feel you are injured

If You are Hurt

• Use emergency alarm if wearing one• If no alarm, call out for help or slide to telephone and dial 911

• Move to a soft surface such as a carpet if you have fallen on a hard surface such as tile or a wooden floor if it doesn’t cause increased pain– You may have to crawl or slide yourself to move

If You are Hurt

• Keep yourself warm until help arrives – You may consider storing a small blanket and a bottle of water in a low cupboard or tucked behind furniture in each room you typically occupy•Blanket will help prevent hypothermia (decrease in body temperature)

•Water will prevent dehydration

If You are Hurt

• Move– Lying in one place too long may cause pressure sores and/or hypothermia

– Rolling side to side will unload your bodyweight and may prevent pressure sores from developing

– Moving your arms and legs, if possible, will help maintain body temperature until help arrives

If You are Not Hurt

• Try falling on the padded areas of your sides or buttocks if able to anticipate a fall– The soft tissue of these areas may prevent injury

If You are Not Hurt

• Roll over on your stomach and attempt to get to hands and knees

• Crawl to stable piece of furniture (bed, stool, chair without rollers or casters)

If You are Not Hurt

• Approach support from front and place both hands on surface

• With both hands on support, place foot of stronger leg flat on floor

If You are Not Hurt

• Lean forward as you slowly begin to push yourself up with your hands while bringing your feet side-by-side

If You are Not Hurt

• Slowly turn and sit in the support

• Collect yourself before attempt to get up again

What You Can Do

• Call us to Perform:– A several FREE Risk Assessments as well as to outline ways to minimize your risk

– A FREE Home Environmental Audit to assess overall safety as well as things such as lighting, flooring, and furniture placement

These materials are brought to you by the Critical Illness and Trauma Foundation, MSU Extended University and MSU

Extension as part of the Montana GEMS project funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture

Thank You