Worried about a senior in your life suffering from a fall? Wondering how to help someone recovering from a fall? Trying to prevent falls in your home or in another living space?
Falls are one of the greatest common threats to seniors and often have effects that reach far beyond what we might expect. The physical impact can be immediate and obvious, or more subtle. And the emotional effect is not something to neglect either. Because falls can be very serious, it’s important to understand the effect of a fall and to do what we can to prevent them.
Physical Effects
A serious fall can leave someone with a broken bone, deep bruises, and long-term pain. Any one of these things can be a lot to deal with for someone who was already struggling with a decline in mobility. If a fall takes you off your feet for a significant period of time, the physical effect can be exacerbated by muscle and bone loss. This is why it’s common for people to suffer additional falls after their first.
It’s important to get moving and stay active as much as possible after a fall, following medical advice, of course. Although taking a load off is easier, it will cost you in the long run!
Emotional Effect
Many seniors say they lose confidence and are afraid to do things on their own after falling, even if they never tell a doctor about the fall. This emotional burden can contribute to isolation and withdrawal which will likely accelerate mobility loss and increase the risk of falling.
Talk with your doctor and family members to help make a plan for staying active. Having a support system can help with fear and loss of confidence.
Prevention
Many believe there’s not much to do to avoid a fall, but this isn’t true! Some ways to prevent a fall are as easy as picking up clutter in the living space or whenever a senior visits your home. Ridding a space of hazards like loose rugs or floorboards is helpful, too. Making sure a space is well-lit and wearing shoes inside instead of socks will also reduce the risk of falls.
Staying active and maintaining or improving mobility are also great ways to avoid falls. And when setbacks happen, it’s really important not to let it get you down for too long!
To learn more about the far-reaching effects of a fall or if you have questions about Assisted Living in Ann Arbor, give us a call today. At Hillside Terrace Senior Living, our family shares life with yours.
