Each day in New Brunswick, about eight older adults are admitted to a hospital because of fall-related injuries. Falls are also one of the leading causes of admission to a long-term care facility.
The good news is that most falls are preventable. Family members, friends, caregivers, and healthcare professionals can all play a role to assist you in your efforts to reduce your risk of falling, prevent serious injuries and help maintain your independence.
Am I at risk of falling?
Falls occur more often among older adults, since the number of fall risk factors a person may have usually increase with age. Risk factors such as reduced muscle strength, impaired balance, and visual impairment, increase the likelihood that you will have a fall.
To better understand your risk of falling, you are encouraged to take the following steps:
- Consult your primary care provider (family doctor or nurse practitioner) at least once a year for a fall risk screening.
- Before your appointment, consider evaluating your fall risk by completing the Staying Independence Checklist.
- Take your time to reflect on each of the 12 statements listed in this useful self-screening tool before adding up the number of points for each “YES” answer.
- Make sure to bring your copy of the completed checklist to your appointment. It may be used by your primary care provider to help with the discussion around your personal risk factors.
How can I reduce the risk of falling?
Taking steps to avoid or reduce the impact of a fall-related injury will help maintain your independence and ensure your well-being. To help you get started, we encourage you to learn more about each of the Four Main Pillars of Fall Prevention:
- Staying physically active. As we get older, physical activity helps keep us strong while preventing impairments that can increase your risk of falling. You are encouraged to participate in activities that are enjoyable and also help maintain your muscle strength, balance, and coordination.
- Watching your step. It’s important to be able to identify and avoid potential hazards that may pose a risk of falls. This involves taking measures to help make our environment safer and consulting the appropriate healthcare professional for an annual eye exam, a regular foot and footwear check and an assessment of proper use of assistive devices.
- Checking your medications. Since taking certain medications alone or in combination with others can increase an older adult’s risk for falls, all medications including prescription, over-the-counter, vitamins, herbs and other types of natural health products, should be reviewed at least once a year by a qualified healthcare professional. Consult your primary care provider or your pharmacist for more information.
- Speaking up about your concerns. Falls usually happen due to a factor or a combination of factors that can be prevented. Don’t wait to ask for help to address any concerns you may have about falls whether it's for yourself or for others in your community.
Home First
Are you 65 or older? If so, you can have a FREE Seniors Health, Wellbeing and Home Safety Review. This free and voluntary service helps you learn about community services and programs.
If interested, a qualified reviewer will come to your home at a time of your convenience to discuss your concerns and create an Action Plan during a 90-minute visit which would cover topics such as:
- How to prevent falls,
- How to make your home safer,
- Available physical activity programs for older adults
Visit the Home First page for more information.
Fall Prevention Resources
For more fall prevention information and resources, Trauma NB encourages you to consult the Finding Balance NB website in addition to the landing page for the annual Fall Talk campaign.
| Join us this November in raising awareness about the importance of fall prevention! Together, we can make a difference by encouraging safety to help maintain our independence as we age. For more information on how you can support fall prevention, check out FallTalk.ca. |
