Many falls are preventable! Understanding the four common risks of falls is important for everyone. Knowledge of falls prevention and how they may affect a person’s level of engagement in daily activities, socialisation, and lifestyle is paramount for individuals with balance disorders.
Four Risks Factors of Falls
Some risk factors are obviously unavoidable – including age and gender. To limit your falls risk follow the four tips:
1. Unsafe Environments
Conditions that include dim or glarey lighting, no handrails on stairs, no grab bars inside and outside toilet/ shower, and throw rugs or carpet edges are a few examples that may lead to an increase in the risk of a fall.
2. Visual health
The quality of vision can significantly challenge an individual with a risk of falling. Such that altered visual contrast, sensitivity, and depth perception are essential qualities that can be impaired, increasing the falls risk.
3. Prescription drugs
Often poly pharmacy places an older adult at higher risk for falling. Such that more that 4 prescribed medications can expose a greater falls risk. Ask the pharmacist or doctor to review all medications routinely and use a large font for the drug label. Make sure your patient understands what the instructions mean.
4. Balance health
The ability to simultaneously walk and perform a cognitive task can be impaired with some individuals. Also, the capacity to stabilise the eyes with body movement can be disturbed. A thorough vestibular and balance evaluation is imperative for such individuals.
