The Harms of Elderly Falling at Home
Inbar Gavra is doing an Internship with Elderhomeshare she is a second year student at the University of California Berkeley, studying Business and Economics. Her passion for helping this part of the community began in high school when she did a 100 hour of community service for local retirement homes and this passion continues to grow as she see's more opportunities to help, delighted to have her as part of the team this summer!
No. You don’t fall because you are getting older. But unfortunately your risk of falling does increase due to weakening muscles, slower reflexes and vision problems as you age. A study done in the University of Mississippi found that risk of death after a ground level fall is three times more likely after you turn 70 than compared to those who are 69 and younger. Falls are the number one cause of death for senior citizens, therefore, it is important to take the necessary precautions to mitigate any potential harms.
Working at Elderhomeshare, we get many calls asking about bringing in a homeshare companion for their elderly parent to provide live-in companionship and security, after a fall has happened. But we want to help you before and here is why.
Even though you may be familiar with your surroundings at home, the majority of falls tend to happen in the comfort of your own home while doing regular daily activities. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) found that one in five falls causes serious injuries including damage to the head or broken bones. And if that is not bad enough, the CDC found that the fear of falling can lower the quality of life for elderly people, as well.
Now, while it may not be possible to prevent all falls, it is possible to take preliminary actions to minimize the risk of falling and to lower the risk of related injuries. Obviously, it is important to try to make your house “fall proof” by improving lighting, installing handrails and watching for items that you can trip on. But the least acknowledged and perhaps most important thing is to have someone else at home. When you have somebody else at home, they are not only a second pair of eyes to ensure there is nothing to trip over, but they are someone to help you if you fall. Half of people over the age of 75 live alone, which means that half of the people over 75 are at risk of falling and having nobody around to help them. In the case that you fall and are not within reach of a phone and unable to move, it is crucial to know somebody will come soon to help.
That is where Elderhomeshare comes in. With our help, you and your family can have peace of mind knowing that every evening your homeshare companion will come home, spend time with you and be there through it all. Make sure someone is there to help before, not after a fall occurs.
Contact us at www.elderhomeshare.ie or call at 087 13 85 628
