『Falls in Older Adults: Prevention, Safety & When It’s Time for More Support』のカバーアート

Falls in Older Adults: Prevention, Safety & When It’s Time for More Support

Falls in Older Adults: Prevention, Safety & When It’s Time for More Support

無料で聴く

ポッドキャストの詳細を見る

【Amazonプライム会員限定】今ならプレミアムプランが4か月 月額99円。

10月19日まで。※適用条件あり
About this episode“Mom fell again.”For many families, that sentence becomes a turning point.Sometimes the fall causes only a bruise. Other times it leads to a broken hip, hospitalization, surgery, rehabilitation, loss of independence, or a cascade of additional medical problems.And once someone falls, fear of falling again can create another problem: they move less.Less movement leads to weakness and deconditioning.That can make the next fall even more likely.In Episode 6 of The Care Conversations Podcast, Dr. Jeff LaFond and Ashleigh Davis discuss why falls become more common with age, what families can do to reduce the risk, and when repeated falls may be telling you something bigger about your loved one’s safety and support needs.In this episode, we discuss:* Why aging increases the risk of falls* Changes in strength, balance, vision, hearing and mobility* Common home hazards such as rugs, clutter and poor footwear* Why a hip fracture can become such a significant medical event* The cycle of falling, fear, inactivity and deconditioning* When physical and occupational therapy can help* Canes, walkers, rollators and other assistive devices* How an occupational therapist can evaluate the home before an injury occurs* Bathroom safety, grab bars and lighting* Why medications — and even the time of day they are taken — can increase fall risk* When increasing falls may mean living alone is becoming unsafe* Life Alert and other emergency-response tools* How assisted living can provide another layer of monitoring and support* How fall-detection technology can improve response after a fall* Why unwitnessed falls often lead to difficult emergency-room decisions* The dangers of being left on the floor for an extended period* Why better information can lead to better fall-prevention interventions* How to keep older adults active without “putting them in a bubble”Why do older adults fall more often?Falls usually are not caused by one single problem.As we age, several things may begin changing at the same time.Strength declines.Muscle mass decreases.Balance may become less reliable.Vision and hearing change.Reaction time may slow.And conditions that were once minor inconveniences — an area rug, cluttered walkway or poorly fitting shoes — can become meaningful hazards.That is why families sometimes struggle to understand why someone who seemed relatively independent suddenly begins falling.The world their loved one is navigating physically may feel very different from the world a younger person experiences.One fall can start a cycleAfter a fall, many older adults understandably become afraid of falling again.That fear may lead them to move less.But movement is one of the things that helps preserve strength, balance and mobility.The cycle can become:Fall → fear of falling → less activity → weakness and deconditioning → greater fall riskBreaking that cycle matters.Physical therapy can work on strength, gait and balance.Occupational therapy can help determine whether daily activities or the home environment can be modified to make them safer.And sometimes the answer is as simple as making sure someone has the right assistive device — and is actually using it correctly.Look at the home through a different lensFamilies do not necessarily need to wait until someone is injured to assess the home.Physical and occupational therapists — as well as other aging-in-place professionals — can help identify risks.Walk through the home and think about your loved one’s actual routine.Are there loose rugs?Is there clutter?Do they have to navigate stairs unnecessarily?Are frequently used items located where they can easily reach them?Does the shower have grab bars?Is the bathroom safe?What happens when they get out of bed during the night?Small changes can matter.Don’t overlook lightingGetting from the bed to the bathroom at 2:00 AM is very different from walking through the house in the middle of the afternoon.Nightlights or motion-activated lighting can create a safer path without requiring someone to search for a light switch in the dark.It is a relatively simple intervention that may reduce risk.Review the medicationsThe home itself is only part of the picture.Medications can contribute to falls as well.Older adults commonly take multiple medications, and those prescriptions may change frequently.Families should understand:* What medications their loved one is taking* Why they are taking them* Whether the medications may contribute to dizziness, sedation or instability* Whether they are being taken correctly* Whether the timing makes senseOne example we discuss in the episode is a diuretic — a medication that increases urination.If it is inadvertently scheduled in the evening rather than earlier in the day, an older adult may spend the night repeatedly getting out of bed to use the bathroom.Now combine:* darkness* sleepiness* impaired balance* urgency* and repeated nighttime walkingand fall ...
adbl_web_anon_alc_button_suppression_t1
まだレビューはありません