5 Indicators That Your Loved One Could Be at Risk of Falling
Although the risk of falling increases with age, this does not mean that falling is a necessary part of aging.
While it is true that as you get older, your risk of falling increases, you may reduce your chances of falling by recognizing and reducing your risk factors. Your chance of falling increases as more personal risk factors are present in your life.
What Are the Five Falling Risk Factors?
Variables that raise your chance of falling are known as fall risk factors. While there are probably many potential fall causes in your house, this article concentrates on falls brought on by personal risk factors.
Seniors and their caregiver must regularly evaluate their fall risk factors since they can signal an impending danger that could have been prevented with advance planning. For instance, if your loved one has diabetes, they could not feel as well in their feet, which increases the likelihood that they will fall. Additionally, if they have already experienced a stroke, they may have impaired balance, which increases the likelihood that they may fall. If they suffer a serious injury, such as a hip fracture that takes months to heal from, these falls could result in painful fractures and other injuries that might even rob them of their freedom for a long time.
1. Leg Muscle issues
Your strength and balance are influenced by your leg muscles, which inevitably weaken as you age. Additionally, they deteriorate if you have contributory conditions like arthritis or live a sedentary lifestyle. Stepping up onto a curb with difficulty is one indication of weak leg muscles.
2. A weak balance
Weak muscles can contribute to balance issues, but so can medical disorders like Parkinson’s disease, vertigo, or the side effects of some medications. In order to move around more comfortably and without concern for falling, your loved one should think about utilizing an assistive device, such as a cane, rollator, walker, or wheelchair.
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3. Particular medications
Unpleasant side effects from several medications include lightheadedness, shakiness, blurred vision, and fuzzy thinking. Additionally, taking more than four drugs at once can raise the risk of falling for your loved one. Psychotropics, blood pressure-lowering drugs, sleeping pills, and anticonvulsants are the drug classes most frequently associated with unpleasant side effects that may result in falls.
4. Foot issues
The likelihood of falling can be increased by issues with our base of support, our feet, such as corns, calluses, bunions, and so forth, or by wearing footwear that is not properly fitting. Additionally, having foot issues might make it harder to stay physically active, which exacerbates balance issues and weak muscles. Numbness in the feet is a typical issue for diabetics that significantly increases their risk of falling.
5. Memory problems or cognitive issues
With advancing age, cognitive issues are more prevalent and might impair a person’s ability to assess risky circumstances or identify everyday dangers that raise their risk of falling. By removing fall hazards and making the required adaptations, you may make it easier for your loved one who is experiencing cognitive decline to move around the house and feel safer doing so.
What Steps Can I Take to Avoid Falls?
It’s critical to understand what you can do to prevent falls now that you are aware of the risk factors that may contribute to them. You should be aware that it’s crucial to maintain physical activity as you age, or to encourage an elderly loved one to do so. Ask your doctor or pharmacist about your medications and whether any should be adjusted in case you are at an unusually high risk of falling. Speak with your physicians to determine your risk of falling. Getting an annual eye checkup is another wise precaution, especially since many eye illnesses, such as glaucoma and macular degeneration, are symptomless in the early stages. For best results, eyeglasses and other eyewear should be replaced as needed.
Also Read: Easiest Steps To Help Seniors From Slips, Falls And Trips
Call Kaydailycare if you require caring support.
Do you want to know more about caregiving assistance in Philadelphia? The sympathetic, understanding in-home caregivers at Kaydailycare can assist your elderly loved ones in adjusting to their potential fall risks and learning to deal with any shortcomings that make them more prone to falls.