Sept. 22: Nationwide focus on falls prevention, awareness
By PHYLLIS HODGES
Sept. 22 is the first day of fall; it is also National Falls Prevention Awareness Day. But, for the Sun City Center Emergency Squad, falls prevention takes center stage 365 days a year. That’s because so many of the squad’s calls involve falls — more than 40 percent year-to-date. Heading the squad’s Fall Prevention Program are Robin Watt and Linda Eargle who work tirelessly to get the message out that falls are serious business—but most are preventable.
The National Council on Aging, which sponsors this national day of awareness, said falls are a growing public health issue and numerous states are coalescing to address it. Not only are the number of falls rising, but study after study — the most recent by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention — reports that the number of fall-related deaths is rising as well. Seniors are especially at risk. In 2016, falls were fatal for 61.6 out of every 100,000 senior citizens.
Observing this area’s rising number of falls, Watt and Eargle agree with the CDC’s conclusion. They speak at about 30 club meetings and public events annually presenting the data and fall prevention measures and encouraging seniors to stay active and participate in activities that improve balance, flexibility and bone density. They are big proponents of “help buttons,” especially for people living alone. Eargle said that some simple precautionary measures are often overlooked: Manage medications, stay hydrated, remove tripping dangers, wear properly fitted shoes, and have regular vision and hearing exams.
“You can’t control every factor but the chances of falling can be reduced by controlling those you can and staying aware. Men are more likely to suffer a fatal fall while women are more likely to break a hip. And the complications from broken hips such as pneumonia or a blood clot are most often what will end their lives,” said Watt.
For more advice on reducing the risk of a fatal fall, check out the National Council on Aging’s website at www.ncoa.org and enter “falls” in the search box.