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May 3

Falling can be a life changer for seniors – The Times Telegram

Exercise Programs Comments Off on Falling can be a life changer for seniors – The Times Telegram

Amy Neff Roth

Sometimes, a fall is more than a fall.

For too many seniors, its a life-changing experience that can precipitate a loss of independence and long-term health problems.

"The older you are and the more frail you are, the more likely that the fall could lead to long-term functional decline," said Diane Oyler, program officer for the Health Foundation of Western and Central New York, which has been partnering for years with community groups on programs, such as exercise classes and home assessments, to reduce falls. "You see that more and more in people who are much older, people who are getting into their 80s, for example. If you fall and break your hip, its harder to heal. Some older adults never fully heal and restore their functional health."

In the worst-case scenario, falls can, among the "very old," lead to nursing home placement, Oyler said.

Falls also are a common problem for the aging and the most common cause of injury among those age 65 and older in upstate New York, according to research by Excellus BlueCross BlueShield. One in four seniors in that age group has fallen within the past year and, of those, 40 percent suffered an injury, Excellus found. The risk of falling and the risk of injury in a fall increases with age, according to Excellus.

The problem is more severe in an 11-county region that includes Herkimer County and the North Country. Seniors in those counties fall at a rate of 796 falls per 1,000 seniors age 65 and older, more than twice the rate of seniors in the Finger Lakes region 370 falls per 1,000 seniors and well above the state average of 455 falls, Excellus found.

That finding is of "great concern," said Dr. Richard Lockwood, vice president and chief medical officer for Excellus Central New York region, in a release. "But we frankly have no explanation for it," he added.

"Falling is not an accepted part of the aging process in any region," Lockwood said. "There are simple things that everyone can do right now for themselves and their loved ones to help reduce the incidence of falls and promote independent and active lifestyles."

Many factors and the interplay among them can lead to falls among seniors: general weakness, a lack of exercise, vision and hearing loss, medications, the interaction between medications, and trip hazards in the home, for example, Oyler said.

"Falls and falling is not a natural or normal part of aging," she stressed. "If you are falling, you should talk to somebody about that. Its not just because youre getting older."

And once the fear of falling takes hold, that can cause problems that increase ones likelihood of falling, perhaps because, for example, of gait changes to try to avoid falling, Oyler said.

So how can falls be prevented?

"We can and should encourage people to stay active as they age, keep their doctors informed about any issues with balance or vision, and eliminate easy tripping hazards around the house and yard to reduce fall-related injuries, emergency room visits and hospital stays," Lockwood said in the release.

More here:
Falling can be a life changer for seniors - The Times Telegram

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