Press

Ask the Care Manager . . .
By: Darla Heivly, Senior Solutions

This is part II of a column addressing the subject of falls. Part I outlined ways to modify your home or habits to reduce falls for yourself or a loved one.

Q: What else can I do to prevent a fall?

A:

• See your eye doctor once a year.
• Take good care of your feet and have them examined if you have pain or difficulty walking.
• Talk to your doctor about any side effects you may have with your medicines. Some side effects may contribute to falls.
• See your doctor if you have dizzy spells.
• Talk to your doctor if you have trouble holding your urine or getting to the bathroom in time to prevent urinary accidents
• If your doctor suggests that you use a cane or a walker to help you walk, please us it! This will give you extra stability when walking and may help you avoid a bad fall.
• When you get out of bed in the morning or at night to use the bathroom, sit on the side of the bed for a few minutes before standing up. Your blood pressure takes some time to adjust when you sit or stand up. If you move too quickly, your blood pressure may not be able to “keep up”. This can make you dizzy, and you might lose your balance and fall.
• Tell your doctor if you fall – medical evaluation can help!
• Exercise regularly. Exercise makes you stronger and improves your balance and coordination.
• Keep emergency numbers near the phone.
• If at high risk of falls, consider an alarm device that will bring help in case of falls.
  

Many thanks to Dr. Francis Salerno and the Center for Healthy Aging at Lehigh Valley Hospital for information used in this article.

Darla Heivly is a certified geriatric care manager at Senior Solutions, Inc. She can be reached at 610-435-6677 or ssrsolutions@aol.com.

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