Falls are a very serious threat to people of all ages, but especially seniors. One of the biggest factors that puts seniors at an increased risk of injury from a fall is that seniors are more prone to injury and recovering from these injuries is much difficult for those who are elderly.
Perhaps the biggest factor that puts seniors at increased risk for injury is osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is a disease that affects the strength of bones, making them more brittle and more prone to fracture. In someone with osteoporosis, even a very small fall can result in a serious fracture, because the disease has caused a serious reduction in bone density.
While osteoporosis is not a normal part of aging and can in fact affect people of all ages, it is far more common among the elderly, with the majority of those over the age of 65 showing some signs of bone density loss.
In a healthy body, a broken bone can and usually is only a temporary problem, but among the elderly, a broken bone quite literally puts the senior at a great risk for serious side effects and even puts their life at risk. Several recent studies have shown that among seniors who experience a hip fracture, over half will have to move to an assisted care facility and an alarming number will not live another year after the accident.
Since a senior fall is such a serious experience, which has such a dramatic affect on their medical state, it is very important to take precautions to reduce the risk of a fall, both in the home and away. However, falls at home are much more likely, as this is where the senior usually spends most of their time. As a result, a great deal of the focus should be on ensuring that fall risks at home are reduced and the senior is able to easily access all areas of the home.
Making the home more accessible is not a straightforward task in that there is no one thing that you can do to instantly make the home safer for the senior. Instead, it is necessary to take a look at each area of the home and identify areas that pose risks. This could mean fixing poor light in the garage, inadequate slip protection in the bathroom, a staircase that is in proper repair, or even addressing issues in each room of the home. However, with the serious risk that is associated with a senior fall and the effect this situation can have on the elderly, it is an essential task.
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