This document provides information from a presentation on preventing falls for older adults. It discusses common risk factors for falls, statistics about falls, where falls commonly occur in the home, exercises that can help prevent falls, having medications and vision reviewed, and making home modifications like installing grab bars to reduce fall risks. The document emphasizes the importance of regular exercise, medication management, annual vision checks, and conducting a home safety assessment to help older adults prevent falls.

1. How to Prevent Falls
Community Education Event: May 16, 2012
Speaker: Lorie Eber, JD
Gerontologist
Coastline Community College Gerontology Instructor
NASM Certified Personal Trainer
Credentialed Senior Fitness Specialist

2. Have YOU Ever Fallen?
• What were the circumstances?
• Did you tell your doctor?
• Are you afraid you will fall again?
• Did you make any changes to decrease your
chances of falling again?

3. Do You Have “Fallophobia”?
• Can lead to more falls even without an
increased physiological risk
• May cause you to limit your activities which
can make you weaker and socially isolated
• Solution: make changes to decrease your risk

4. Fact or Myth?
1. Falling is something normal that happens as
we get older.
2. If I limit my activity, I won’t fall.
3. As long as I stay home, I can avoid falling.
4. Using a walker or cane will make me more
dependent.

5. Some Scary Statistics about Falls

6. Fall Statistics
• Leading cause of accidental death for 65+
• 1 out of 3 adults 65+ falls each year
• Most common cause of ER visits
• Cause 90% of all hip fractures
• California: 2 people die of falls every day

7. Common Risk Factors for Falls
1. Postural hypotension aka orthostatic
dizziness
2. Use of anti-anxiety and sleep medications
3. Use of 4+ prescription medications
4. Environmental hazards
5. Impairment in muscle strength or range of
motion

8. Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus
• Women are 58% more likely than men to
suffer a non-fatal fall injury
• Men have a 46% higher death rate from a fall
than women
• Women are twice as likely as men to suffer a
fracture from a fall

9. Post-Fall Statistics
• 40% of those hospitalized for hip fracture do
not return to independent living
• Nearly 20% will die within a year
• Seniors who fall once are two to three times
more likely to fall again

10. Where Do Falls Take Place?
23%
55%
22%

11. Where in the Home Do Falls Happen?
Percentage of falls Room
31% Living Rooms
30% Bedrooms
21% Kitchens
13% Bathrooms
10% Hallways

12. Why Do Older Adults Fall?
• Internal Risk Factors
– Normal aging changes in vision, hearing, bone
density, reflexes, coordination and strength
– Diseases such as Parkinson’s, macular
degeneration, diabetes, heart disease, arthritis,
stroke
• External Risk Factors
– Medications
– Alcohol
– Environmental hazards

13. Risks We Can Eliminate
• Poor lighting
• Clutter
• Uneven surfaces
• Stairways without railings
• Bathtubs and showers without grab bars
• Furniture that is too high or too low
• Throw rugs
• Loose carpets
• Wet floors or pavements

14. Be Proactive!
• Get screened and treated for osteoporosis
• Do weight bearing exercises
• Make sure you have adequate amounts of
calcium and Vitamin D
• Ask your doctor to review all your medications

15. Get Assessed
• Annual medical evaluation
• Review of all your medications
• Get an in-home safety evaluation from an
occupational or physical therapist, care
manager or home health provider

16. What if I Fall?

17. How to Get Up From a Fall
• Locate a sturdy piece of furniture
• Roll over onto your side
• Push your upper body up
• Crawl on your hands and knees
• Put your hands on the chair seat
• Slowly rise from the kneeling position
• Turn your body to sit in the chair
• Regain your composure

18. Illustration of Getting Up from a Fall

19. What if You Can’t Get Up?
• Cry out
• Bang away
• Slide over to a telephone
• Use your emergency call device
• Get into a comfortable position and wait

20. Emergency Call Devices
• Cost: ≈ $20 to $40 per month
• Activation fee: ≈ $50
• Cost: not covered by Medicare
• Range: ≈ 200 to 400 feet outside home

21. Four Things You Can Do to Prevent Falls

22. 1. Begin a Regular Exercise Program

23. Types of Exercise
• Exercises that build balance and lower-body
strength reduce the risk of falls by 33%
• Balance exercises: tai chi, yoga
• Core exercises: to increase strength in deep
stabilization muscles in trunk
• Balance & Mobility or Fall Proof Classes

24. Let’s Exercise
Stand on One Foot
• Stand on right foot behind a
sturdy chair, holding on for
balance
• Hold for 10 seconds
• Repeat 3 times
• Repeat with left leg

25. 2. Have Your Medications Reviewed

26. Medications
• Some medications, or combinations of
medications, can make you confused, tired or
dizzy
• Which meds? blood pressure, anti-anxiety,
antidepressants (SSRIs), sleeping pills,
tranquilizers
• Ask your doctor to review all the medications
you are taking, including over-the-counter
and homeopathic

27. 3. Have Your Vision Checked

28. Vision
• Get your vision checked by an eye doctor at
least once a year
• You may be wearing the wrong glasses
• You may have macular degeneration,
glaucoma or cataracts

29. 4. Make Your Home Safer

30. Common Home Modifications
• Install handrails on both sides of stairways
• Mark first & last step with tape or paint
• Use non-skid strips in shower or bathtub
• Install grab bars in tub, shower, next to toilet
• Install elevated seat on toilet

31. Make Sure Contractor is Licensed
• Licensed by CA Contractors State Licensing
Board
• Call (800) 321-CSLB or
• Internet Search:
– California Contractors State Licensing Board
– then click on “check license”

32. Tips for Hiring a Contractor
• Get a recommendation
• Get 3 estimates
• Sign a written contract
• Don’t pay in cash
• Don’t pay more than 10% or $1,000 upfront

33. Room-by-Room Safety Tips

34. Living Room
• Remove throw rugs
• Clear away the clutter
• Position phone conveniently
• Remove all cords and wires
• Make sure lighting is adequate

35. Bedroom
• Install night-lights
• Make sure you can reach a light from bed
• Make sure you can reach a phone from bed

36. Kitchen
• Place frequently used items within easy reach
• Invest in a steady step stool
• Don’t take short cuts, e.g., using a chair as a
step stool, trying to reach items that are out-
of-reach
• Keep floors dry

37. Bathroom
• Put a non-slip surface on bathtub or shower
• Install grab bars
• Add a booster to the toilet
• Consider a walk-in shower

38. Stairs and Steps
• Remove clutter
• Fix broken or uneven steps
• Add light switches to bottom and top of
staircase
• Make sure carpet is not loose or torn
• Make sure handrails on both sides are secure

39. THANK YOU!
Stay Safe
in Your Home or Apartment