I'm approaching my 40th birthday. From where I stand now it seems impossible to me, that as kids we celebrated my parents 40th birthdays with black balloons, a cane, candy jellybean “pill” bottles, and a larger than life sign signifying “Over the Hill”.
Falls are preventable
Like these 40th birthday traditions, our culture embraces some aspects of aging that don’t make any sense. Take senior’s falls as an example, somehow as a society we accept that the majority of people experience a fall at some point as they age. Did you know that, for all age ranges, falling is a lead cause for injuries requiring hospitalization? No matter what age, we must all remember, falls are preventable!
November 6-12, 2017, marks the Finding Balance BC Falls Prevention Awareness Week. Falling, tripping, or slipping happens now and then to all of us, but falling with risk of serious injury does not have to be a normal part of aging.
What can you do?
- Get up and go.
- Keep your body moving and active. Focus on strong muscles and good balance. Strength and balance exercises are key to reducing the risk of falling.
- Have your eyes checked.
- Visiting an optometrist once a year can reduce your risk of falling.
- Review your medications.
- Bring everything you take (both prescription and non-prescription) to your pharmacy or doctor for a review.
- Make small changes to your home.
- Simple hazards are sometimes overlooked and often, easily fixed.
- Install handrails and guardrails where needed.
- Add lighting in hallways and nightlights in bathrooms and bedrooms.
- Secure or remove area rugs so they don’t become tripping hazard in your home.
- Salt and sand walkways in winter months.
Falling is not a “right of passage”
With November and my birthday approaching, let’s challenge the social norms - I refuse to blow up a single black balloon! Falling is not a “right of passage”, and making small changes to our lifestyle and surroundings is a smart investment to our health and well-being, no matter what age.
Join Northern Health and participate in the BC Finding Balance Falls Prevention Week. Visit the Finding Balance BC website and talk to your doctor if you have had a slip, trip, or fall in the last year.
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