1. One in four people over 65 fall annually. Falls injuries are the leading cause of emergency department visits among older people.
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3. Physical examination should include listening to heart sounds with a stethoscope to check for orthostatic hypotension (low blood pressure when sitting or standing up), visual acuity issues and foot ailments which increase risk.
4. Medications
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6. Many older adults avoid telling their doctor about falls for fear that they will be seen as helpless or forced into nursing homes. But repeated falls can have severe repercussions including hip, spine or skull fractures.
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9. Doctors usually start by inquiring into how and why the fall occurred and whether any witnesses saw anything. Next they examine a person's feet, eyesight and nervous system for injuries sustained in the fall as well as listening for any irregular heartbeat or valve problems that might increase risk of falling.
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11. Doctors will also review their medications, as certain classes of drugs can increase the risk of falling, including antidepressants, sedative hypnotics, antipsychotics and benzodiazepines like Valium and Xanax. When possible, doctors will attempt to reduce polypharmacy (taking more than four medications simultaneously). This could reduce falls.
12. Footwear
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14. An improper fit in footwear is one of the leading causes of slips, trips and falls among senior adults. Floppy shoes or backless slippers increase risk of falls; so too do high heels that alter proprioceptive feedback and mechanical stability; additionally there may be loose laces which create trip hazards and should therefore be tied securely when coming undone causing further hazards to trip up seniors.
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16. Walking indoors barefoot or wearing socks increases people's risk of falls by changing traction at the shoe/floor interface, increasing balance control difficulties and risk for STFs among older adults. Shoe features that influence balance control and risk of STFs include fit, fixation, heel height, collar height, slip resistance, sole/insole hardness and sole hardness; this comprehensive review utilized a refined search strategy to explore and synthesize literature on these critical components of footwear for fall prevention in older adults systematically; its aim was to contribute knowledge by identifying gaps in existing research as well as provide valuable recommendations that will increase safety while decreasing incidence and reduce STF incidents among older adults.
17. Environment
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19. Home, neighborhood and surroundings environments can be major contributors to falls for older adults living alone. Poor lighting as well as uneven, slippery or cluttered walking surfaces are major risk factors in terms of fall risks; more so in homes of seniors living alone compared to homes living together with others.
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21. Quality green spaces in neighborhoods can greatly impact a person's ability to walk and maintain mobility, making their perception of safety that much stronger. trackers for alzheimer's patients Pleasantness of neighborhood open spaces as well as presence of seating, toilets and shelters is crucial in creating this feeling of safety for residents.
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23. In this research study, the authors examined the influence of housing and neighborhood characteristics on environmental hazards and falling using data from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS). HRS is one of the few population-based surveys to collect both incidences of falls as well as physical evaluations over time - these assessments could potentially reduce falls in frail older adults living alone by offering standard environmental evaluations that measure both frequency and intensity over time. Their findings confirmed this potential use as well.
24. Injuries
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26. While many who fall do not report them to their physician, repeated falls often result in hospital admissions, loss of independence and serious injuries; among these include hip fractures, spine injuries and head traumas.
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28. Elderly patients who fall are at greater risk of injury than younger individuals, due to weaker bones and greater soft tissue damage during a fall. Furthermore, elderly individuals typically lack control over their movements when getting up from the floor.
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30. gps tracker for seniors emergency button for elderly Most falls among older people are caused by multiple factors, including age-related decline in function, medication effects, disorders and environmental hazards. There are many measures available to reduce their risk of falling; such as training on safe falling techniques; eliminating environmental hazards (eg, throw rugs and poor lighting); making sure phones and emergency call devices are easily accessible from the floor; as well as teaching techniques for getting up after falling.
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