I never gave much thought to falling until I started falling.
Isn’t it always that way?
If you’re like many older adults, you’ve probably passed over the “Have you fallen in the past year?” question on a medical questionnaire. Who’s doing all this falling? I used to ask myself.
Around the time I reached my early 60s, I became less steady on my feet. I’d trip over rocks in the garden or take a misstep off a bottom stair. One time I ended up in the emergency room after my shoe caught on a nail and I fell out of my chicken coop. It turns out I’m exactly the person the questionnaire is targeting.
September is Falls Prevention Awareness Month, a designation that holds a special meaning for older adults like me who end up on the ground when they didn’t intend to land there.
Here’s a sobering statistic: Falls are the leading cause of death by injury for people 65 and older. Falls account for nearly three million ER visits for older adults each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control. One in four adults report a fall each year. In Ohio, it’s 28 percent.
The good news is, falls aren’t a natural part of aging, and they can be prevented. Wear supportive shoes, add railings to stairs, remove or tack down area rugs, use a step stool with a handrail to access out-of-reach items, and use high-wattage bulbs to improve lighting. Find more tips at the Ohio Department of Aging website. Don’t fall this fall, or anytime.
