Guest post by Virginia Cunningham
Nobody wants to take a fall in winter, when there are much more important things to do than slow-motioning around the house and asking people to help you with the most trivial tasks. Still, we know that one out of three older adults falls each year and, to make matters worse, most fractures among people over 65 are caused by falls.
Still, while they do happen a lot, bone breaking and other falling-related injuries can be prevented– at least to a certain extent. Here are some things you can do to make sure you’re walking, not falling:
Dog Pose for Good Bones
Exercise might be a bit more challenging as we grow older, but it never stops being fun or good for us. There are so many ways to go: dancing, fitness, cardio, power training, swimming. What matters is that you get your doctor’s clearance first and that you’re doing something you actually enjoy.
Yoga is our number-one suggestion because it is proven to improve balance and coordination, which are vital aspects of… not falling down and hurting yourself. The best way to get results is following a rigorous program which challenges you twice per week for at least eight weeks. This way, you’ll gradually lose the fear of falling, which is one of the biggest problems around the issue anyway. Just the fear itself can ruin your mood when you’re trying to get across a rather icy sidewalk, so getting that out of the way can do wonders for morale.
Get Your Eyes Checked
That’s right — your eyes might be getting between you and your intact, un-fractured bones. Many older adults simply get used to a blurred vision and forget to change their glasses when they’re supposed to. If you know that you haven’t checked your eyes in a long time, go ahead and make an appointment or just walk into the nearest eye clinic.
A good eyesight is not only good for telling the oregano jar from the parsley jar, it also helps with getting around and making sure you’re aware of your environment. It’s really a shame that people actually end up falling because they just can’t see clearly. This is preventable and it only takes updating your glasses once every six to 12 months.
Put Your Pills on the Spot
If you’re taking a lot of pills each day or even a few, but for quite some time, you might want to get them checked by your physician.
Often, medicine contains ingredients that can either cause drowsiness or dizziness, or even lower your bone density. Even over-the-counter tablets can have such unpleasant side-effects and it’s important to be aware of them so that you can minimize the risk of falling.
If you think you’re endangering yourself, try to find out if there are alternatives you could pursue. In many cases, there are.
Make Your Home Clutter-Free
Slippery rugs, rocklike statues, shoes lying around the house– all of these are your enemies and should be eliminated from sight. It just takes one walk in the dark to slip, trip and fall, so don’t take that chance.
Reorganizing your house might actually be fun. Put everything you use on a regular basis in its own place: keep the shoes away, keep your books and papers in boxes and on shelves, move metal objects away and get some non-slip mats for your bathroom. Installing grab bars next to the shower is also a good idea, as people slip in the bathtub all the time, no matter if they’re 15 or 80. Getting those sharp corners on your furniture covered is also smart if you want to avoid that dreaded pinkie destruction we all hate.
In the end, falling is unpleasant at any age. And if you can prevent it, why wouldn’t you? Minimize your risk by keeping your house clean and safe, getting some balance and flexibility training, making sure your vision is as good as it gets and checking your pills for side effects. Don’t forget to get enough Calcium (1000 mg/day for men and 1200 mg/day for women) as well as Vitamin D (600-800 mg/day) and you’ll be fine.
Today’s guest blogger is Virginia Cunningham, who is honored to have had the opportunity to share her knowledge about how seniors can easily prevent themselves from attaining injury. Her writing, in collaboration with NorthWest, covers all things health, including natural supplements, personal fitness and holistic medicine.
