In the midst of everything else going on in the world, you may not realize that this week (Sept.18- Sept. 24) is Falls Prevention Awareness Week. As with any “national celebration,” the goal is to bring awareness to an issue and highlight resources and recommendations specific to the problem being addressed. At agebuzz, we have spent significant time and attention addressing the risk of falling, the significance and consequences, and what can be done to strengthen your balance and eliminate the potential for falling. You may remember that falls and subsequent fractures or head injuries represent serious problems for older adults. As the CDC makes clear, “Falls are the leading cause of injury-related death among adults age 65 and older, and the age-adjusted fall death rate is increasing.” There’s just no getting around the fact that the risk of falling (and the results of falling) can be major impediments to your health and well-being and to living independently as you age in place. In fact, a recent report from the US Government Accountability Office underscored that more needs to be done to shine a light on available ways to lessen the risks of falls in the homes of older adults. Even in places where you would expect more risk control (such as a hospital) falls are a too frequent occurrence. Every year somewhere between 700,000-1,000,000 people fall while in the hospital, potentially triggering further health problems beyond the reason for the hospitalization. 

So in addition to previous agebuzz posts, what sources of information should you be aware of? To begin with, take a look at the resources provided by Health In Aging, from the American Geriatrics Society. They have resources on basic “fall” facts, how to have discussions with your doctor about falling, a tip sheet to prevent serious falls, and a guide for evaluating canes and walkers. So hold steady and click here. Health in Aging also points you in the direction of a new resource, a “Falls Free Check-Up” list from the National Council on Aging. The goal of this check-up list and accompanying recommendations is to take you through an assessment of your risk of falling and then give you a set of recommendations and a report to discuss with your doctor, along with fall prevention resources. Having a conversation with your physician about your risks and history of falling is important, not only to keep yourself safe and injury-free but because falls are associated with a heightened risk of dementia (in fact, it’s been suggested you undergo cognitive testing after your experience a fall) and are also linked with the presence of depression in older adults. Both of these are conditions that could not only lead to further falls and injury but are potentially treatable to some extent, possibly lessening the likelihood of future falls. For an additional valuable overview of falls and what can be done to prevent them, plant your feet firmly and look here.

It may also be useful to know that efforts are continuously underway to devise high-tech products that can monitor fall risks and even prevent falls from happening. Beyond fall detection available in some smartwatches, there are reports of the development of “smart socks” that can monitor foot pressure to alert nurses that a hospital patient may be at risk of falling. There are also shoe insoles being developed specifically to monitor people with Parkinson’s whose mobility problems and damaged central nervous system mean they are at increased risk. Finally, the Washington Post recently highlighted the invention of a device called “Mr. Bah” that may come to market within the next couple of years. Developed in Singapore, the device is focused on helping older adults navigate their homes (or facilities) without falling. It’s a robot that looks like a motorized wheelchair and can help an older adult sit down, stand up or walk, and eliminate fall risks in the process. It may not be elegant, but its goal is essential in our ever-aging world: to lessen the risk of serious injury due to falls among older adults.