According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), more than one in four people over 65 fall each year, and around three million end up in the emergency room or as a hospital inpatient. More older people are falling even though falls are preventable. Falls are also costly. In the period between 2016 and 2018, the average annual cost of falls among older adults was $80 billion.
Reduce your risk of being among the 14 million people over 65 who fall each year. The consequences of a fall can be horrific, restricting your activities, if not robbing you of your independence. Keep in mind that your risk of falling doubles if you’ve fallen once. According to the CDC, falls are the leading cause of injury and injury death among people 65 and older.
How to prevent falls?
- Talk to your doctor if you’re feeling dizzy or unsteady on your feet. Ask about the side effects of the medications you’re taking, both prescription and over-the-counter drugs. Some medicines can make you dizzy and more prone to falls. And, see if you might benefit from physical therapy. Medicare covers it.
- Make your home safer. Remove any loose rugs or tack them to the floor and place any electrical cords out of the way. Install grab bars in the bathroom. Use night lights.
- Stand up slowly after sitting to avoid light-headedness.
- Have your eyesight and hearing checked each year.
- Wear proper shoes that hug your feet; they should have treads to avoid slipping.
- Use a cane, walker or walking poles for stability.
- Do balance and strength exercises at least twice a week each.
Here are five exercises to improve balance that the NIH recommends:
- Standing on one foot. Place a chair in front of you and hold on to it with one hand. Then raise one leg and hold it up for 10 seconds. Then do it again with the other leg. Repeat this exercise three times on each leg.
- Do sit to stand exercises. Strengthen your quads.
- Walking heel to toe. Place the heel of one foot in front of the toe of the other. Now take a step with your back foot and move it so that the heel is just touching the toe of your other foot. Repeat 18 more times. Focus your gaze on a spot in front of you to steady yourself. You can also hold your arms out on either side of you for balance.
- Back leg raises. Place a chair in front of you and hold on to it with one hand. Breathe in. Lift one leg back as you breathe out. Keep the leg you stand on slightly bent. Repeat 10-15 times on each leg.
- Side leg raises. Place a chair in front of you and hold on to it with one hand. Breathe in. Lift one leg to the side as you breathe out. Keep the leg you stand on slightly bent. Repeat 10-15 times on each leg.
- Balance walk. Walk in a straight line for 20 steps lifting one knee up and then the other. You can hold your arms out on either side of you for balance. You can also focus your gaze on a spot in front of you.
(An version of this post was published on July 29, 2019.)
Here’s more from Just Care:
- Five exercises to improve balance for safety and health
- Falls are primary cause of harm and death for people over 65
- Tech solutions to help prevent you from falling
- Protect your eyesight: Free and low-cost vision care
- Free and low-cost ways to address hearing loss
