November is Fall Prevention Month! We’re so glad to see that an entire month is dedicated to raising awareness about an issue we feel is a daily challenge for many people in our community.
According to the Ontario Injury Prevention Resource Centre, adults over the age of 65 are injured more frequently by falling, and often sustain head trauma as part of the injury. This can make recovery more difficult, and can lead to long-term impairment. It’s important to be aware of how to prevent injuries that can arise from falls.
Our team at Milestone Health Services Halton makes preventing falls a top priority when providing care to our community’s seniors and anyone who is recovering from surgery, an injury or is returning home after hospitalization.
How can you prevent falls?
Accidents can happen, and obviously, are not planned events! Falls can affect anyone, regardless of age or physical condition. There are, however, steps you can take to prevent creating the conditions for accidental trips and falls.
- Buy shoes that fit properly and give you the support you need
- Give your feet the care they need
- Lead an active lifestyle
- If you need help with physical exercise, consider mobile physiotherapy
- Don’t rush your daily tasks, and do one thing at a time
- Talk to your doctor about how your medications make you feel (dizziness can make you lose your balance, and certain medications can slow your reaction time to trips)
- Practice daily balance-improving exercises (once you’ve talked to your doctor)
- Keep hallways and stairs tidy so you don’t trip over anything
- Have your eyes checked to make sure you can see well! Exams are covered by OHIP if you’re over 65 and are a resident of Ontario.
You’ve fallen, so now what do you do?
If you’re a senior who has been injured, the first thing you should do is seek medical attention. Even if you feel alright and don’t want to cause a fuss, it’s important to have a medical professional perform a physical exam. As we age, our bones are not as resilient to trauma, and skin tissue damage can develop into conditions as serious as gangrene if your immune system is weak.
How can Milestone Health Services Halton help?
When you’ve been hospitalized for an injury from a fall, getting the assistance you need to make a full recovery can be as simple as making a request through our online form or by calling 1-888-509-9394 or 905-864-9020. We can arrange for an in-home consultation, at no cost to you, so we can work together to create a custom care plan that serves your individual needs.
We offer a number of services, including:
- Mobile physiotherapy
- Monitored physical activity
- Bandage removal and application
- Home nursing
- Bathing and other personal hygiene tasks
- Meal preparation
- Housekeeping to ensure a clutter-free home
- Organizing transportation to medical appointments
Medical Alert for Falls
Milestone Health Services Halton is proud to offer the highest standard of care, and can connect you with services within your community. We want you to be able to rest and recover, while we take care of the all the other details.
We also highly recommend the Connect Care Medical Alert service, which is a program that is owned and operated by the Oakville hospital. This is a low-cost solution (about $1 a day) for seniors who live alone or are at risk of falling.
You can choose from a Standard Pendant, or an Automatic Fall Detector that will automatically connect you to the monitoring centre, which will provide you with the appropriate assistance including ambulance dispatch.