With serious falls being so common, prevention measures are extremely important. In addition to making the home safer to navigate, it's also beneficial for family caregivers to watch for warning signs that a loved one may be having mobility issues.
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What is not considered, is how fear of falling can result in premature wheelchair confinement - the exact outcome that many fear when they try to help seniors avoid falls.

Too many people focus on the worst case scenario images, and those are promoted by the medical system that understandably sees physical damage that is extreme. Not enough training and education and focus go to the role needed by Skilled Occupational Therapists, who have enough repeated time for assessments of possible residential adaptations - too often professionals are trained in generalities, and standardized adaptive options, not in how to create adaptations in different size and style places.

Falls need to be documented, NOT just that they occurred, but WHERE, WHEN and WHY - but busy people don't make enough quiet time to listen and observe a person with some instability to document these things - for IF circumstances of a frequent fall situation are known, targeted remedial training can be added. When I told a rehab facility staff that my brother tended to pitch forward when he stood up from a chair - they added a targeted practice exercise, lining up 5 chairs in a row, working with him to sit, then stand, move to next chair, do it again. After several weeks, he and his body - got the awareness that slowing down as he stood up, aiming to stop and wait to re-orient, allowed him to manage. Another place he fell later was leaving a quiet room like a bathroom, entering a busy hallway. Focus, retraining.

Of course he could not walk anywhere on his own, but in the nursing home, he COULD and DID - walked laps in the hallways through COVID sequester - until staff began to count his falls and advise him never to walk on his own, to call for help first. This stopped all his walking and he ended up wheelchair bound - in my opinion years before this should have been necessary.

When I visit him, I am used to setting him up with his walker, checking for safe path, encouraging and then walking ahead, to expect him to follow, and he does. Staying actively mobile prevents many side illnesses - but it is hard to educate and encourage staff and OTs to work to give him small, repetitive, increasing distance places to walk without having to wait for their help - for help is simply not present often enough to rebuild strength, stamina, alertness - that he CAN learn, if someone sees what is safe, then set him up to work on that.
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How a wrist sprain from a fall eventually lead to my sister's death: My sister died at age 85 in January of '21. One-and-a-half years prior, she fell in her carpeted living room and sprained her wrist. She was treated, and it took 2 months for her to be able to use that arm again. At that time, she mainly moved about by using a walker and used a cane occasionally. Only being able to use one arm forced her to use her cane for going to the bathroom and getting to her bedroom, and that's pretty much the only time she moved on her own, even after her arm was fully recovered. She lived alone. So after basically sitting for 18 months, her sacrum broke all by itself and she became completely immobile. This led to her loss of independence and having to go to a skilled nursing facility. While there, she developed a bleeding ulcer and contracted Covid (but had no symptoms). Because of her testing positive for Covid, she was moved between 3 facilities within a short time. She finally stopped eating and drinking, and died 3 months after the sacrum break, which came about from being almost totally sedentary after she had the sprained wrist. Sorry to be so windy, but it was a long haul for her and her family and friends, who cared for her for as long as they could during this time.
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The primary cause of falls in the elderly is the overprescribing of medications. I am 86 and i have seen many precious friends drop sudenly to the floor unconscious. after lots of inquiries and research, i now believe that beta blockers for high blood pressure cause sudden extreme dizziness and dangerous falls.Also, obviously some pain meds also can cause dizziness.i have thrown away a lot of prescriptions without ever filling them. i am strong, healthy, med free, and pain free.Meds such as statins and diuretics cause malnutrition because they interfere with the processing of nutrients in the body.Malnutrition can also cause dizzines and other problems.I advise all elderly to bring down blood pressure witrh daily old fashioned oats with fruit, nute, and cinnamon. Also, eat one or more whole eggs every day and drink a quart of whole milk every day. Eat lots of home grown and or organic berries, fruits, and veggies every day and eat a lot of real true pure maple syrup, olive oil, and apple cider vinegar. Garlic,onions, hot peppers, and beans are also very healing.
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Falls - like broken hips -- render the elderly non-mobile (even more non-mobile than they naturally are.) Therefore, there is no way to CIRCULATE their BLOOD, and when the blood does not circulate, it is like a stagnant stream (as in blood stream) where all kinds of festering things happen. In California, those residents in Assisted Living and MemoryCare cannot be "seat-belted" into a chair, or have railings put up on the bed edge ("restraints" not allowed due to facilities or people abusing the effort - therefore Elder Law is against this). My mother wants to "bolt" from her chair - at 96, with severe dementia, inability to stand or walk, and now blindness. One can only imagine the consequences. Having said that, my mother took estrogen during her post-menopausal and senior years, and does not break bones. It has been amazing that she hasn't broken any bones, but she HAS fallen for sure. It is one reason why the elderly do eventually pass - because they just cannot be protected 24/7/365 unless they are lying in a nursing home bed I guess. Her MemoryCare does their very best, but the "bolting" aspect is scary. She hit her head bolting the other day, and they called 911 who checked her out and no need to go to the ER. She has lucky bones because of the estrogen and also she jogged as a senior and that keeps bones better. (in CA a "halo bed fence" is allowed, but those aren't easy either. We tried.)
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Prevention helps--but there really is no sure-fire way. Falls in fact can happen while you are in the room with them. They often do and it happens so quickly you don't have time to catch them. Part of Alzheimer's disease is that they lose their balance much easier. If any drugs are added such as psychotropics will increase the fall risk a *GREAT* deal.
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I feel for you dmoorer1. Have you considered moving in with her? Taking her to live with you or getting her a caregiver?

We are in the same situation. My Mom is 92, fell this week (2nd time in a month) and fractured her foot. She's in hospital now with a splint. She also lives alone, has had the Life Alert button for past 3 years but refuses to use it because of two false alarms - she got spooked when she saw all the responders at her front door and said "never again". She has 2 walkers and a wheelchair but also refuses to use them - she says, "they are for old people" - she is very vain.

Now we are in this dilemma, she will probably go to a Skilled Nursing Facility because she will need 24/7 care, especially with the splint. We don't WANT to send her there but we feel we HAVE to in order for her to get the proper care she needs (I hope). I know we have a tough road ahead of us, but with God's help, I hope she will recuperate. Good luck with your Mom.
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My father fell when he was discharged from the hospital after being in there only two days after a concussion. We feel like it was unnecessary that he went through this and had to restart physical therapy because it was a set back.
He also will not use the walker that I bought - so we know it is a matter of time before he falls again...
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Sadly not much you can do if u feel the facility contributed to the fall. My dad was sent to rehab facility after his hip surgery. They let him sit in wet diaper all day and staff was very indifferent. We visited every day after work and wouldn't leave til 11pm. This was a new facility near Texas Med Center. Fast forward 1 week; they placed him on bed at a diagonal position and he fell asleep. He woke feeling as though he was falling. Pushed call light several times. No response. He fell off the bed and cut up his ear and hit his head. Was so furious. Contacted state to investigate and they called when they did a visit and said everything looked ok the day they were their. It's a shame there are facilities that endanger patients lives with little consequences. We were very lucky my dad didn't refracture his hip, the other one, or even die from the fall. They didn't even clean up the blood when we went hours after settling him at the hospital. Be wary when I take loved ones to facilities
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Neither of my elderly parents [mid 90's] would use their walkers/canes while in their house... they rather wall and furniture walk.... Dad was the fall risk. I had visions for the past 6 years of them tumbling down the main stairs or the basement stairs as they refused to move to a more safer environment... every time my phone rang my heart would stop.

This time, a couple of weeks ago, Mom had her first fall that I knew about... called 911. Doctor insisted my parents not live alone so I hired caregivers.... which my Mom shooed out of the house after 3 days.... [sigh]

Two weeks later Mom fell again, 911, hospital stay, delirium set in, doctors found a blood clot and a brain bleed which indicated Mom had hit her head recently [a fall my parents never told me about]. Now Mom is in rehab/long term care, unable to walk, and half the time her brain is befuddled.

In the mean time, I hired back the caregivers and Dad is so glad they are there. The caregivers make sure he uses his rolling walker inside the house [Mom wouldn't allow Dad to have it inside].

If my parent had only listened when I kept telling them it is time to sell the house and move to a safer place.... but I am just the kid, what do I know :P
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Ok so my mom was in assisted living facility for rehab and fell and broke her hip. She said she pushed call button and when no one came she tried to get on her potty chair by herself and fell she laid on the floor for another 20 minutes before someone answered the call button for a total of 30+ minute responded time. I am so mad I don't know what to do. Mom had been complaining that they would put her on the potty chair and leave her there for 15 or 20 minutes before they would help her back in bed. I had just told the nurse that she was a fall risk and to not leave her or she would try it on her own and now she is in hospital just out of surgery because of poor care what should I do?
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This article is very very TRUE unfortunately. I just recently lost my 101 year old dad because he used a cane and NOT a walker as he was stubborn and would NOT listen to me as I am in the medical profession and KNEW better.. He admitted it was his fault but it was too late. He fell and was taken to the E.R., had successful surgery was doing good at the beginning and then it got harder and harder and harder where he just gave up. He stopped eating and I had to literally force him to take in soup and juices and ensure but then it got to the point he hated the taste of everything and stopped eating and with NO PT or OT he was doomed even though I pushed and pushed he gave up and I lost him FROM A FALL last month. Needless to say I have been seeing a psychiatrist for I went into a bad state of depression. PLEASE HEED ADVICE FOR THE ELDERLY FALLING CAN BE DEADLY!
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My 80 year old dad fell during a hospital stay for the flu in dec 2014. He was about to get discharged in a day. He got up in middle of night to find oxygen tubing the tech forgot to reposition after breathing treatment. It's been a long 9 months. He has had to wear diapers ever since. He needed surgery for hip fracture. PLEASE PLEASE heed warnings when in hospital. USE CALL LIGHT BUTTON FOR ASSISTANCE. You do not want your parents to lose their basic independence and grooming ability! Buying diapers ointments gloves paying caretakers to stop by and feed them. I'm sure he wishes he hadn't gotten up in the middle of the night for that. Just warning others. My dad was physically able to get around on his own and that all changed.
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Is it normal for an elderly person to lie about falling? The only time we really know that my mother-in-law fell is when she's bleeding or needs help getting up. She also doesn't want to use her cane. My brother-in-law ordered a walker but I doubt that she'll use it. Why? I'm not sure if it's vanity or what. Luckily she hasn't broken a bone (knock on wood).
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So many seniors rule out assisted living with no understanding of what it is. I would live there if I could. Great food, great fun; like being on a cruise. The only problem is they do not want people who fall. Once they fall, in most cases they're thrown out and moved to the nursing home. This happened to both my parents and my father-in-law. It's great but usually doesn't last long. I think average stay is 1.5-2 years.
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There is a phone called Future Call SOS Pendant Phone with Man Down Function which detects when someone has fallen. I am not saying to solely rely on that product, but maybe it would help.
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I worry all the time. she fell last week and could not get up for 3 hours. she has weak legs. refuses to use her emergency call button. broke her hip 3 years ago. lives alone. don't know what to do. getting very forgetful too. I have no help either. no neighbors . no family but me. what di I do?
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People should realize there are a variety of medical alert systems available and not all our subscriber based. You don't have to pay a monthly fee. You can buy phones with the numbers you want to call in case of emergency. A button on a lanyard or wristband is pushed to contact people you have on your list. These are amplified phones so they assist with hearing loss, also.
If you don't want a phone you can get a PERD that is only for emergency alerting to the contact names you choose.
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Another factor in this is the time between the fall and when emergency help comes. This is when a medical alert system can help. Having the ability to summon help as soon as the fall occurs lessens the likelihood of serious complications. Although we provide these tools in the hope they never have to be used, they are used often, and when they are it eliminates time wasted lying on the floor waiting for help to come.
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Just read a report that also indicated hearing loss may play a part in falls.
Researchers Frank Lin, M.D., Ph.D., at Johns Hopkins, and his colleague Luigi Ferrucci, M.D., Ph.D., of the National Institute on Aging used data from the 2001 to 2004 cycles of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.
Lin, an assistant professor at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and the university's Bloomberg School of Public Health, and Ferrucci found that people with a 25-decibel hearing loss, classified as mild, were nearly three times more likely to have a history of falling. Every additional 10-decibels of hearing loss increased the chances of falling by 1.4 fold. This finding still held true, even when researchers accounted for other factors linked with falling, including age, sex, race, cardiovascular disease and vestibular function. Even excluding participants with moderate to severe hearing loss from the analysis didn't change the results.
Source: Johns Hopkins
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