Medications which can cause dizziness, drowsiness, or delirium can be adjusted to assist older adults increase their functional abilities. Physicians can assist with medication adjustment, pain control, and education. Physical therapists can assist with improving or maintaining strength and balance. Staying active can help prevent problems with reflexes, balance and movement control. Regular weight-bearing exercises and weight training can build and tone muscles even in very old people. An added benefit is a reduction in depression. A recent study on the effects of exercise on falls in elderly atients in the Journal of the American Medical Association showed that Tai Chi appeared, on small numbers, to be a great exercise intervention with about a 35% reduction in fall incidence.

Education and communication also play a big part in the reduction of falls. Older adults can be taught how to use equipment properly, to rise slowly to prevent dizziness, the importance of exercise, and ways to call for help. A high percentage of falls occur when patients don’t lock their wheelchairs causing the chair to scoot out from under them when they try to sit down. Families and health care providers should communicate with the patient to help minimize the risk. If a family member suddenly decides that the area rug in grandmothers house, which she received as a wedding present 50 years ago, needs to go without first consulting her, you will have a fight on your hands and a very unhappy grandmother.

Fall interventions must be customized for each individual. Each person will have different risk factors based on their condition. For example, people with Parkinson’s disease can be at higher risk for falls in the morning because the affects of their medication have worn off. They will need more help in the morning than someone with Alzheimer’s, whose condition can be worse in the evening. A toileting program may help prevent falls too. If there is someone with the elder every two hours assisting them to the restroom the risk of falls can be minimized. Diuretics, caffeine, and alcohol intake often result in an increased urgency to void, causing the elder to rush to the toilet. Changing medication and avoiding excess fluids before bed can reduce this risk.

If you or someone you know is having problems with falls, see a physician immediately. Considering that 25% of elderly people who have hip fractures die within six months following their injury, it is a call well worth making. And don’t forget simple preventative measures such as exercise, calcium and vitamin D, proper footwear, and home safety checks.

Samantha Young has 17 years experience caring for older adults.  She  has a degree in Health Professions from Southwest Texas State University and is a Licensed Nursing Facility Administrator. In 2000, after ten years of working in a facility and running a successful non-profit program, she started Practcial Care Continuum ( www.practicalcare.com ) .  It is one of the Top 5 Non-medical Home Care Agencies according to the Austin Business Journal.  Samantha can be reached at 512-380-9339.