Fall Prevention and Intervention

Staying Strong, Steady and Safe

As we age, maintaining balance, strength and confidence in our movements becomes more important than ever.  A fall can happen anywhere and at any time.  At Choice Connections, we often hear from families about their loved one having a fall.  Falls with an injury are common drivers for people moving into assisted living facilities.  According to the Minnesota Department of Health, in 2021, there were about 71,000 falls in Minnesota. https://www.health.state.mn.us/people/falls/index.html There are things that you can do to be proactive and possibly prevent a fall from happening.

Stay active

Engage in regular movement.  Strength training, yoga, Forever Well® programs are often tailored to increase mobility, balance, and agility.  Movement could be as simple as taking a walk, parking your car further from the entrance or taking the stairs instead of the elevator.  Motion is lotion for joints.

Fall Prevention Tips

• Wear supportive shoes/non-slip soles
• Keep floors free of clutter and cords
• Install grab bars by the toilet and shower/tub, use a shower chair and/or raised toilet seat
• Have an annual vision check
• Remove throw rugs
• Ensure pathways are well lit
• Store heavy items within reach to avoid bending/overhead reaching

Ethel was getting up from bed in the middle of the night.  It was dark and she had forgotten that she left her tennis shoes next to the bed.  When she started to walk toward the bathroom she tripped and fell to the floor.  If you find yourself in this situation, here is what you can do.

How to safely get up from the floor

1. Pause/Assess: If you experience severe pain, dizziness, or suspect an injury stay put and call for help.
2. If you can, move slowly and roll to your side. Bend your top knee for support.
3. Move to your hands and knees
4. From all fours position, bring one leg forward, placing your foot flat so you’re in a ½ kneeling stance, grab onto a sturdy object for support to rise.
5. If you cannot get up on your own, call 911.
6. When you are a health care facility you should always use your emergency alert to call for assistance.

If you are assisting someone who has fallen

• Always Pause/Assess the situation as mentioned above.
• Never pull on their arms or shoulders
• Use a transfer belt if you have one available
• If you know you can’t assist, don’t try – it may cause serious injury to the senior and the helper.
• When in doubt call for emergency assistance.

***Together, we can stay strong, steady and safe. Knowing how to move with confidence, safety measures to put in place, and knowing how to respond if a fall happens – helps everyone feel more secure/safe at home and in senior living communities.