Introduction and Risk Factors
Many people have a friend or relative who has fallen. The person may have slipped while walking or felt dizzy when standing up from a chair and fallen. Maybe you've fallen yourself. If you, or someone you know, have fallen, you are not alone.
If you are worried about falling, or have fallen, please tell someone, even if you were not hurt. This could be a Carer, a doctor or other health and social care professional. Remember that many underlying causes of falls can be treated or corrected – remember that falls do not “just happen”.
Some of the risks associated with falling are:
Muscle weakness, especially in the legs
Older people with weak muscles are more likely to fall than are those who maintain their muscle strength, as well as their flexibility and endurance.
Your balance and your gait (how you walk)
Older adults who have poor balance or difficulty walking are more likely than others to fall. These problems may be linked to a lack of exercise, arthritis, or other medical conditions and their treatments.
Blood pressure that drops too much when you get up from lying down or sitting
This condition is called postural hypotension. It may result from dehydration or certain medications. It might also be linked to diabetes, neurological conditions such as Parkinson's disease, or an infection.
Foot problems that cause painful feet, and wearing unsafe footwear can increase your chance of falling
Backless shoes and slippers, high-heeled shoes, and shoes with smooth leather soles are examples of unsafe footwear that could cause a fall.
Eye health
We must all take care of our eyes. One reason for a fall is that it may take a while for your eyes to adjust to see clearly when you move between darkness and light. Wearing multi-focal glasses while walking or having poor lighting around your home can also lead to falls.
Regular eye tests are important because your eyes don't usually hurt when something is wrong. A sight test is a vital health check for your eyes that can pick up early signs of eye conditions before you're aware of any symptoms – many of which can be treated if found early enough.
The more medications you take the more likely you are to fall
People who take four or more prescription drugs have a greater risk of falling than people who take fewer. Check with your doctor or pharmacist if you think your medications are causing dizziness or unsteadiness. Your doctor can tell you which drugs, including over-the-counter medicines, might cause problems. Please do not change your medications on your own.
Environmental
Things to consider in your home: do you have loose rugs? Is there clutter on the floor or stairs? Are you carrying heavy or bulky things up or down stairs? Do you have a stair rail fitted or grab bars in the bathroom?
What to do if you fall
Slips, trips and falls
As previously mentioned, falls do not “just happen”. There are lots of things you can do to minimise your risk, from getting the right slippers, having a medication review with your doctor or making sure you exercise.
However, if you do fall, the information below will tell you what to do.
What to do if you have a fall:
- Don't panic - you will probably feel a little shocked and shaken but try and stay calm;
- If you are unhurt, look for something to hold onto and something soft to put under the knees;
- Hold onto a firm object for support and out the soft object under the knees; place one foot flat on the floor with the knee bent in front of the body;
- Lean forward putting weight on hands and foot until it is possible to place other foot beside the one on the floor;
- Sit down and rest for a short time;
- Tell somebody.
What to do if you are hurt:
- Try to get comfortable until help arrives;
- Keep warm, starting with feet and legs;
- It is uncomfortable to keep still for any length of time and this may lead to pressure problems. Moving position every half hour and moving feet helps the circulation and improves comfort.
Physical Activity
Why is physical activity so important?
Moving around and regular physical activity and is a first line of defence against falls. Physical activity strengthens muscles, improves balance and increases flexibility and endurance. This can decrease your chances of a fall.
Top tips to increase your exercise levels if you are 60+ include:
- Minimise the amount of time spent sitting and being sedentary.
- Aim to be active daily
- Try to do 150 minutes of moderate intensity activity in bouts of 10 minutes or more each week (so 10 minutes a couple of times each day)
- Try visiting your local library to find out about exercise classes close to you
- Many health authorities have information on sessions that aim to improve strength and balance, or look at the NHS falls prevention page on the internet.”
Check The Bury Directory's What's On area to see what activities are available locally.
Healthy Living
Food
The food that you eat can affect your health and wellbeing. Learning about the foods that are rich in calcium, vitamin D and other nutrients that are important for your overall health and will help you make healthier food choices every day.
It’s no surprise that the superstar of foods for bones is milk. Milk is a crucial nutrient for building healthy bones. Other foods rich in calcium are yogurt and cheese.
You already know how good salmon is for you. But do you know exactly why it’s so good? Salmon packs a healthy dose of vitamin D, a mighty nutrient that helps the body absorb and process calcium. Other foods rich in vitamin D include egg yolks, mushrooms, and tuna. Try to eat a variety of foods rich in vitamin D every day.
Most vitamin D is made in the skin in response to sunlight. Short exposure to sunlight without wearing sunscreen (10 minutes twice a day) throughout the summer should provide you with enough vitamin D for the whole year. If you're at risk of not getting enough vitamin D through your diet or lifestyle, you can take a vitamin D supplement. For adults, 10 micrograms a day of vitamin D is recommended.
Drink and dehydration
Dehydration is when your body doesn’t have enough water or fluid that it needs to function properly.
Water is essential to good health; It makes up two thirds of our body. It is vital that we drink enough fluid to maintain good hydration.
Please see the leaflet in the downloads section of this webpage about promoting good hydration and spotting the signs and symptoms of being dehydrated.
Other lifestyle factors
Other lifestyle factors that can affect your health and wellbeing include:
- Quitting smoking – smoking is associated with an increased risk of osteoporosis;
- Limiting your alcohol intake – the NHS recommends not drinking more than 14 units of alcohol a week; it's also important to avoid binge drinking.
Case Study
Anne Bebbington
“I’ve always done what I can to keep fit and when I heard about the boxing class, I just thought I’d give it a go because it looked so different,” explains Ann who went to her first class in autumn 2013 and has been every week since.
“Don’t get me wrong, it’s hard work,” she declared. “But I love it because you get to exercise all the different parts of your body and I really enjoy how great it makes me feel. The coach is excellent and we all have a laugh and keep each other going.”
Since taking up the activity, Ann has noticed a significant improvement in her hand-eye coordination, strength, flexibility and balance and would recommend boxing to anyone who wants to burn some calories, let off a bit of steam, improve fitness and try something new.
Related Services
Age UK Bury Information and Advice
BEATS (Bury's Exercise and Therapy Scheme)
Bury Society for Blind and Partially Sighted People
Carelink and Technology Enabled care services - Local Bury...
Helping Yourself to Wellbeing Course
Last Updated: 26th Jul 2022, 15:50