Falls are dangerous for particularly for older person.
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the American Geriatrics Society recommend yearly fall assessment screening for all adults 65 years of age and older. Falls happen often among older adults over the age of 65.in USA every year, 3 million older adults are treated in emergency departments for injuries related to falling. With over 800,000 hospitalizations due to fall injuries like hip fractures or head injuries, .Falls among adults 65 and older caused over 38,000 deaths in 2021, making it the leading cause of injury death for that group. In 2021, emergency departments recorded nearly 3 million visits for older adult falls.
Falls are the leading cause of injury for adults ages 65 years and older. Over 14 million, or 1 in 4 older adults report falling every year in America.
Total injuries due to falls estimated at 13-14 million per year in U.S. Falls are the number one cause of accidental injury, resulting in 20.8 percent of all emergency room visits in 1995. Motor vehicle accidents accounted for 11.9 percent of ER visits.
A national review reported that in India every year nearly 1.5 to 2 million older people are injured and 1 million succumb to death due to fall.
Falls can be categorized into three types: falls on a single level, falls to a lower level, and swing falls.
Three Types of Workplace Falls .These are called anticipated, accidental and unanticipated falls..
Research shows hip fractures are to blame for nearly 30 percent of fall deaths among adults 65 and older. Worsening eyesight and poor hearing can make it harder for older individuals to spot hazards.
The most serious injury from a fall:
Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) - Any injury to the brain is serious and requires immediate medical attention.
While not all falls result in an injury, about 37% of those who fall reported an injury that required medical treatment
Common risk factors for falls:
The fear of falling.
Limitations in mobility and undertaking the activities of daily living.
Impaired walking patterns (gait)
Impaired balance.
Visual impairment.
Reduced muscle strength.
Ooor reaction times.
Older adults with mild cognitive impairment or certain types of dementia are at higher risk of falling.
Hip fracture is called the acetabulum. Hip fracture is a serious injury and needs immediate medical attention. Most hip fractures happen to people older than age 60.
Geriatric fracture is a term used to describe a bone break that occurs in an older patient. These types of fractures most often occur in the hip and are much more common in women. In fact, nearly 50% of women and almost 30% of men over the age of 65 will suffer a major osteoporotic fracture in their lifetime.
The femur is your thigh bone. It's the longest, strongest bone in your body. It's a critical part of your ability to stand and move. Your femur also supports lots of important muscles, tendons, ligaments and parts of your circulatory system.
A broken femur is a serious injury that requires immediate medical care. Broken femurs are treated with surgery and physical therapy. It can take months for your broken femur to heal. You can break your femur by being in a car crash, falling or being shot.
Most femoral fractures take about 4 to 6 months to heal completely, but you should be able to resume many activities before this time.
A femoral neck fracture is a particular type of hip fracture that occurs at the femoral neck. When a femoral neck fracture occurs, the ball is essentially disconnected from the rest of the femur. Fractures to the femoral neck can completely or partially disconnect the femoral head from the rest of the femur.
The reasons for falling in aged persons:
Falling is not a normal part of aging.Many things can cause a fall in order person.Your eyesight, hearing, and reflexes might not be as sharp as they were when you were younger. Certain conditions, such as diabetes, heart disease, or problems with your thyroid, nerves, feet, or blood vessels can affect your balance and lead to a fallI .Independent risk factors for falling include the following (arranged in order of evidence strength): previous falls, balance impairment, decreased muscle strength, visual impairment, polypharmacy (more than 4 medications) or psychoactive drugs, gait impairment and walking difficulty, depression, dizziness
The normal changes of aging, like poor eyesight or poor hearing, can make you more likely to fall. Illnesses and physical conditions can affect your strength and balance. Poor lighting or throw rugs in your home can make you more likely to trip or slip. Certain conditions, such as diabetes, heart disease, stroke, or problems with your vision, thyroid, nerves, or blood vessels can cause dizziness and other balance problems
Older people are more likely to have a fall because they may have: balance problems and muscle weakness. vision loss. a long-term health condition, such as heart disease, dementia or low blood pressure (hypotension), which can lead to dizziness and a brief loss of consciousness.
Losing your balance while walking, or feeling imbalanced, can result from: Vestibular problems. Abnormalities in your inner ear can cause a sensation of a floating or heavy head and unsteadiness in the dark. Nerve damage to your legs (peripheral neuropathy).
If you experience immediate symptoms such as severe pain, difficulty breathing, loss of consciousness, or visible fractures after a fall, seek medical attention
Tips to avoid falls at home:
Keep areas where you walk tidy. Don't leave books, papers, clothes, or shoes on the floor or stairs. Check that all carpets are fixed firmly to the floor, so they won't slip. Put no-slip strips, which you can buy at any hardware store, on tile and wooden floors.
You are in a high risk of having falls if you have two or more falls a year or one fall with injury. The medical evaluation part of this algorithm is important and your physician should ask you every time he sees you if you have experienced any falls since the last visit.
If the fall seems to be a serious health issue, then you'll want to notify and see a doctor right away. Falls can lead seniors to suffer muscle weakness, broken bones, and more. In addition, a doctor may also prescribe the Blood pressure test.
Dizziness:
Dizziness has many possible causes, including inner ear disturbance, motion sickness and medication effects. Sometimes it's caused by an underlying health condition, such as poor circulation, infection or injury. The way dizziness makes you feel and your triggers provide clues for possible causes
The following are the causes of dizziness:
Low blood pressure.
Migraine.
Stress or anxiety.
Low blood sugar.
Dehydration or heat exhaustion.
Motion or travel sickness.
Anaemia
.Lie down immediately when you feel dizzy. Lie still with your eyes closed in a darkened room if you're experiencing a severe episode of vertigo. consuming almonds and milk works wonders for people who experience chronic vertigo episodes.
In general, if you feel dizzy, try lying down for a few minutes. Sit up very slowly, without sudden movements.
Cardiovascular disease cause of falls :Heart issues may make you feel faint, lightheaded or dizzy and affect your balance.Common causes of dizziness related to the inner ear include: benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV), migraine and inflammation of the inner ear balance apparatus (vestibular neuritis).
There is no permanent cure for vertigo, with or without medication. To treat vertigo successfully without medication, physical therapy techniques, chiropractic care, lifestyle changes, and even supplements are all positive steps toward reducing vertigo attacks. Dizziness may also be caused by other conditions such as low blood pressure and anxiety.
Prolonged or extreme dizziness. A spinning sensation when you're not actually moving (vertigo)
In most cases, dizziness associated with heart problems is accompanied by other symptoms. These may include shortness of breath, swollen extremities, frequent fatigue or chest pain. In the event heart disease is suspected, you will undergo one or more tests to get to the root of your problem.
But you should seek medical attention if imbalance isn't a fleeting sensation, if it's debilitating and disrupting your life or if it's putting your safety at risk.
Therapy can help you compensate for imbalance, adapt to less balance and maintain physical activity. To prevent falls, your therapist might recommend a balance aid, such as a cane, and ways to reduce your risk of falls in your home.
Vitamin D is good for balance:
Taken in moderation, vitamin D may decrease the risk of falls. In addition, insufficient intake of vitamin B12 and protein can cause balance problems and difficulty walking, which could increase the risk of falling. Moderate doses of fish oil may help reduce falls among otherwise healthy older adults
Treatment for imbalance will depend on the cause but may include medications or surgery. Your physician may also prescribe vestibular rehabilitation therapy, which combines head, body, and eye exercises to reduce the dizziness and nausea caused by imbalance.
To control your balance:
Start by holding yourself steady on the back of a chair or another sturdy handhold. Lift one foot to about calf level and hold for 10 seconds. Repeat 10-15 times and then switch to the other leg. Over time, as your balance gets better, you may be able to hold this position with your hands free
Stay fit and healthy.Take precautions to prevent fall.
Prevention is better than cure.This article is for general information.Always consult your care taker for councelling and the help.
Information compiled by Dr. Bhairavsinh Raol
