elderly-people > preventing-falls-and-related-fractures

Falls and Fractures Safety first to prevent falls: At any age, people can change their environments to reduce their risk of falling and breaking a bone.

Outdoor safety tips:

In nasty weather, use a walker or cane for added stability.
Wear warm boots with rubber soles for added traction.
Look carefully at floor surfaces in public buildings. Many floors are made of highly polished marble or tile that can be very slippery. If floors have plastic or carpet runners in place, stay on them whenever possible.
Identify community services that can provide assistance, such as 24-hour pharmacies and grocery stores that take orders over the phone and deliver. It is especially important to use these services in bad weather.
Use a shoulder bag, fanny pack, or backpack to leave hands free.
Stop at curbs and check their height before stepping up or down. Be cautious at curbs that have been cut away to allow access for bikes or wheelchairs. The incline up or down may lead to a fall.

Indoor safety tips:

Keep all rooms free from clutter, especially the floors.
Keep floor surfaces smooth but not slippery. When entering rooms, be aware of differences in floor levels and thresholds.
Wear supportive, low-heeled shoes, even at home. Avoid walking around in socks, stockings, or floppy, backless slippers.
Check that all carpets and area rugs have skid-proof backing or are tacked to the floor, including carpeting on stairs.
Keep electrical cords and telephone lines out of walkways.
Be sure that all stairwells are adequately lit and that stairs have handrails on both sides. Consider placing fluorescent tape on the edges of the top and bottom steps.
For optimal safety, install grab bars on bathroom walls beside tubs, showers, and toilets. If you are unstable on your feet, consider using a plastic chair with a back and nonskid leg tips in the shower.
Use a rubber bath mat in the shower or tub.
Keep a flashlight with fresh batteries beside your bed.
Add ceiling fixtures to rooms lit by lamps only, or install lamps that can be turned on by a switch near the entry point into the room. Another option is to install voice- or sound-activated lamps.
Use bright bulbs in your home.
If you must use a step-stool for hard-to-reach areas, use a sturdy one with a handrail and wide steps. A better option is to reorganize work and storage areas to minimize the need for stooping or excessive reaching.
Consider purchasing a portable phone that you can take with you from room to room. It provides security, because not only can you answer the phone without rushing for it, but you can also call for help should an accident occur.
Don�t let prescriptions run low. Always keep at least one week�s worth of medications on hand at home.
Check prescriptions with your doctor and pharmacist to see if they may be increasing your risk of falling. If you take multiple medications, check with your doctor and pharmacist about possible interactions between the different medications.
Arrange with a family member or friend for daily contact. Try to have at least one person who knows where you are.
If you live alone, you may wish to contract with a monitoring company that will respond to your call 24 hours a day.
Watch yourself in a mirror. Does your body lean or sway back and forth or side to side? People with decreased ability to balance often have a high degree of body sway and are more likely to fall.

Reducing the Force of a Fall

Take steps to lessen your chances of breaking a bone in the event that you do fall:

Remember that falling sideways or straight down is more likely to result in a hip fracture than falling in other directions. If possible, try to fall forward or to land on your buttocks.
If possible, land on your hands or use objects around you to break a fall.
Walk carefully, especially on hard surfaces.
When possible, wear protective clothing for padding.
Talk to your doctor about whether you may be a candidate for hip padding.

Decreasing Bone Fragility

Individuals can protect bone health by following osteoporosis prevention and treatment strategies:

Consume a calcium-rich diet that provides 1,200 mg (milligrams) of calcium from a combination of foods and supplements.
Obtain between 200 to 600 IU (International Units) of vitamin D each day, depending on age.
Participate in weight-bearing and resistance-training exercises most days, preferably daily.
Talk with your doctor about having a bone mineral density (BMD) test. The most widely recognized bone mineral density test is called a dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry or DXA test. It is painless: a bit like having an x ray, but with much less exposure to radiation. It can measure bone density at your hip and spine.
Talk with your doctor about possibly beginning a Food and Drug Administration-approved medication for osteoporosis to stop bone loss, improve bone density, and reduce fracture risk.

People need to know whether they are at risk for developing osteoporosis or whether they have lost so much bone that they already have osteoporosis. While risk factors can alert a person to the possibility of low bone density, only a BMD test can measure current bone density, diagnose osteoporosis, and determine fracture risk. There are many different techniques that measure bone mineral density painlessly and safely. Most of them involve machines that use extremely low levels of radiation to complete their readings. Sometimes, ultrasound machines, which rely on sound waves, are used instead.

Individuals may wish to have a bone mineral density test to determine current bone health. Today, Medicare and many private insurance carriers cover bone density tests to detect osteoporosis for individuals who meet certain criteria. Talk with your doctor about whether or not this test would be appropriate for you. Falls are serious, but there are simple, inexpensive steps that can be taken to reduce your risk for falling and reduce your risk of breaking a bone if you do fall.

(published with permission in writing from:http://www.nlm.nih.gov)