For anyone with aging or elderly parents, fall prevention is one of the most important topics to learn a little about.

Our nation’s Public Health Agency released it’s second “Seniors Falls in Canada Report” this year and a summary of some of the very helpful information follows. First, let’s look at some staggering statistics:

• Falls are the leading cause of hospital admission for seniors
• Falls cause a longer hospital stay than any other ailments or injuries, an average of three weeks
• Falls are the #1 cause of a senior being forced to move into a nursing home
• Falls cause 95% of hip fractures in seniors, leading to death in a staggering 20% of all cases!

Each year in British Columbia, more than 200,000 seniors suffer one or more falls, resulting in 10,000 hospitalizations and more than 800 deaths. As you can see, avoiding falls is of great importance to seniors and their loved ones!

With that stated, let’s look quickly at the main causes, and what can be done about this massive problem.

Main Risk Factors
Biological/Intrinsic
Acute illness; balance/gait deficits; chronic conditions/disabilities; cognitive impairments (dementia can increase fall risk 2-3 times!); low vision; muscle weakness/reduced physical fitness

Behavioural
Assistive devices not well fitting or maintained; excessive alcohol; fear and/or history of falling; medications (especially mood and sleep meds); inadequate diet

Social/Economic
Lower socioeconomic status (environment, diet, access to resources, health knowledge); social networks (or lack of)

Main Strategies to Reduce Falls
The primary strategies discussed in the report to help seniors reduce falls are:

• Use assistive devices (such as walkers) that are properly recommended, fitted and maintained
• Chronic and acute disease management
• Education – for example, in the safe/correct transferring for entering/exiting shower/bath
• Home assessment for safety modifications – this can be as simple as a safety walk-through (with suggestions) from one of our experts, or as in-depth as renovations from a seniors renovation specialist like Ease-Ability Renovations
• Medication Review – best to do 1-2 times/year with the individual’s pharmacist
• Nutrition assessment
• Vision/hearing assessments
• Strengthening and balance training

We’ve noticed with our clients that focusing on the above strategies ABSOLUTELY reduces risk of falls, with particular attention to the medication review and strengthening/balance training.  A great resource for in-home fall prevention training and strengthening/balance training is local Physiotherapist, Heidi Bovey. Call Heidi at 250-701-8876 for information about her home visits. She’s terrific.

If you have any questions about other resources in the community, drop us a line!

Tawnya and Chris Wilkinson
Nurse Next Door
Home Care Services
250-748-4357 (Duncan); 250-667-0190 (Nanaimo); 250-927-1895 (Parksville)
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