Safety - The Little Things Matter

There is no point in having a suitable elderly mobility aid when it is not in good working order.

Hospital staff frequently see members of the public walking in with walking canes and frames that have the rubber stoppers completely worn through. This leaves the metal frame in direct contact with the floor.On hard surfaces this offers very little grip and greatly increase the risk of falls.

It is not worth risking your safety for a $1 piece of rubber. Most people don't realize the rubber on a walking frame has worn through but it only takes a second to look and check its condition. With walking canes the situation is even more risky.

Be sensible, check your equipment, and stay safe.

 

 

 

 

Falls in the Elderly - What the CDC has to say

http://www.cdc.gov/homeandrecreationalsafety/falls/adultfalls.html

The CDC has its own page of statistics on falls in the elderly.

In 2000, the direct medical costs of falls in the elderly was $19.2 billion

More than one third of adults older than 65 fall each year.

Women are more than twice as likely to break a bone in a fall but men are 49% more likely to die from falling.

72% of fractured hips occur in women.

 

All of these figures again show that falling is not an option. Using a mobility aid is vital once someone is falling or having near misses.

Prevention is always better than the cure and with such potentially serious consequences something as simple as a walking frame can go a long way to decreasing the risk.

 

Falls - The Consequences

Not only do we become more likely to fall as we get older, we also become more likely to injure ourselves.

Osteoporosis is a primary reason for this as our bones become less forgiving. This means that a fall from standing height is more likely to result in a fracture.

Wrist fractures are the most common as we automatically put out our arm to try and cushion the blow when landing. Much more serious but also common is the hip fracture. This usually requires orthopaedic surgery and is associated with a much more difficult recovery. Many people who fracture their hip never return to their previous level of mobility, some require residential care, and around 20% of elderly people suffering a hip fracture will die within a year of their fall.

This is why prevention is far better than the treatment. Any one at risk of falls or who is falling should consider using a mobility aid. If they are already using one and are still falling it should be re-evaluated as more support may be required. An inappropriate aid can be as bad or worse than no mobility aid at all.

Many people get attached to whatever they are using and are resistant to change but a fall or a few close calls should be a warning sign that their mobility level has changed and the required level of support may have changed as well.

Falls Prevention Advice

Here is a simple article on falls prevention when negotiating stairs:

http://seniors-health-medicare.suite101.com/article.cfm/stair_safety_to_preve...

Getting appropriate hand rails fitted has got to be a priority and greatly reduce the risk of falls.

Bilateral rails are best and increase confidence. If you walk with a frame, have one for upstairs and one for down - Never try and carry it up or down stairs with you.

If you have only one rail, use it plus a stick in the other hand to increase stability.

The correct use of elderly walking aids can make a huge difference.