萝莉社

The 萝莉社 TraumaOne Senior Steps program promotes active aging through fall prevention.

It鈥檚 a growing problem that is literally knocking millions of people off their feet and into hospital beds every year.

Falls are the leading cause of injuries among adults 65 and older, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. One in four older adults reported falling, with more than 3 million falls requiring treatment in emergency rooms. More than 27,000 people died from their injuries.

鈥淪tatistics show this is a widespread problem, but we often don鈥檛 hear about it until a patient is in the emergency room,鈥� said Rebecca Melvin, education coordinator. 鈥淧eople need to know falling is not a normal part of the aging process. It can be prevented.鈥�

A PREVENTABLE PROBLEM

Every September during Fall Prevention Week, TraumaOne staff kick off the Senior Steps fall prevention program for older adults. They travel to several senior citizen community centers through December to educate residents on how to remove trip hazards and prevent fall-related injuries using the CDC鈥檚 Stopping Elderly Accidents, Deaths and Injuries program.

鈥淢edications for high blood pressure, high blood sugar or anxiety can cause patients to fall,鈥� Melvin said. 鈥淥ne of the first things we recommend is bringing a list of all your medications with you to every doctor appointment. As you get older, you start to see more specialists who may not be on the same network or communicating with one another. It鈥檚 important to make doctors aware of prescriptions that may make you lose your balance.鈥�

REDUCING RISKS

Staff also educate attendees about ways to prevent trips, slips and falls in their homes by removing hazards, such as ensuring rooms are well-lit, cords are not located in high-traffic areas, and steps and step stools have handrails.

鈥淚t鈥檚 as simple as making the items you use regularly more accessible,鈥� Melvin said. 鈥淢ove the sugar you use in your coffee every morning to your countertop, so you don鈥檛 have to reach up into your cabinet to get it.鈥�

a 萝莉社 trauma surgeon, says senior falls are becoming a larger part of trauma care, especially as the population ages.

鈥淐ertainly, you worry about broken bones,鈥� Crandall said. 鈥淔alling and striking things are also really common, causing injuries like rib fractures. Sometimes those rib fractures poke into other organs like your lungs, spleen and liver.鈥�

Crandall said the most worrisome falls involve blows to the head, where a patient can experience intracranial bleeding or a traumatic brain injury.

鈥淚t鈥檚 important for patients to tell their doctors every time they fall because there are things we can do about it,鈥� Crandall said. 鈥淲e can test your hearing and vision. We can treat macular degeneration, diabetic eye diseases or other medical conditions that decrease your vision.鈥�

Crandall says simply by improving a patient鈥檚 sight, they may be able to remain independent longer.

鈥淣o one wants to be told they can no longer do something they used to do,鈥� Melvin said. 鈥淢any older adults are afraid their freedom will be stripped away. Our goal is to empower older adults with education to keep them safe.鈥�

Fall Prevention Week is Sept. 22-28. To learn more about Senior Steps, contact the at Trauma1@jax.ufl.edu or 244.3400.