Seniors who fall one time are at least twice as likely to fall again, according to information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That’s a really scary statistic for families to learn when the seniors they love begin to age in place. One of the best tools to prevent falls is a fall risk assessment. Healthcare providers look at health, lifestyle, and preferences to determine how likely seniors are to fall. Home care assistance can be a huge help for families after a fall risk assessment to put solutions in place.
Why Are Fall Risk Assessments Important for Seniors?
Everyone can fall, but seniors may have a much higher risk of falling due to habits, health issues, and other factors. A thorough assessment helps healthcare providers to personalize recommendations that can reduce injuries and fall risk. Once fall risk assessments are completed, family members and home care providers have information to help make home life safer and more comfortable for seniors.
Benefits of Assessing Fall Risk
Although there are similarities between people and their lives, every situation really is unique. Fall risk assessments dig deeper and identify the individual risk factors that all work together to make a fall more likely. Spotting and fixing household issues, like inadequate lighting, is one level of solving the problem. Understanding health-related risk factors like muscle weakness, balance, changes, or medication side effects allows families to see what they actually can do to correct as many of those issues as possible.
Talking to Seniors About Falls and Risk Factors
Sometimes seniors are scared to talk to the people they love about falling. They worry they might lose their independence or experience other consequences if they admit that they’re worried about falling. Talking to seniors openly about what family members are noticing and ways to help seniors be safer is a great way to get started on preventing falls. Home care assistance can help families to talk about these issues while helping seniors feel supported.
Tools Doctors Use for Fall Risk Assessment
Medical providers use a variety of different types of tools to assess fall risk factors. The simplest is just to talk to their patients and ask about what is more difficult and what they’re having trouble doing. They may also do something called a Timed Up and Go Test. The test involves timing how long it takes seniors to stand up from a seated position, walk a few steps, turn around to come back, and then sit down again. Doing this quickly with no wobbling earns a higher score. Other tests, like the Berg Balance Scale, measure other variables related to fall risks.
Lifestyle Changes to Prevent Falls
Once the fall risk assessment is complete, it’s a lot easier to see what is going to help seniors the most as they go through daily life. Taking care of household maintenance and small changes, like adding handrails where appropriate, is usually a solid first stage of the plan. Seniors may also need to assess what they’re eating, consider whether exercise might help, and use assistive devices to help them maintain their balance.
Home care assistance can be a huge help for seniors as they adjust to the changes their fall prevention plans might require. Professional caregivers understand how these changes can feel, and work with seniors and family caregivers to implement changes thoughtfully.
If you or an aging loved one are considering Home Care Assistance in Leesburg, VA, please contact the caring staff at Access Home Care Inc today! Call (703) 765-9350
Access Home Care provider in Arlington, Alexandria, Leesburg, Reston, Herndon, Manassas, Ashburn, Falls Church, McLean, Lorton, Springfield, Woodbridge, Fairfax, Virginia and the surrounding communities.
“My desire to enter into nursing started when one of my older sisters died of kidney disease due to lack of care. At age 15, I decided to enter into nursing so that I could provide quality care to patients.Upon arrival in United States at 21 years of age, I enrolled in T.C Willliams School of Practical Nursing while working as a nursing assistant at a nursing home. I also worked as a part-time home health aide to take of the elderly. After completion of my practical nurse education, I worked in geriatric psychiatry unit at Dominion Hospital and Arlington Correctional facility mental health unit.
I completed Marymount University in 2001 and entered into Home Care as a field case manager.
I held that position for 2 years and as an Administrator, and for another 2 years until Access Home Care was found in 2004."
Today, Access Home Care has over 300 employees and 286 clients.
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