Every year, 32,000+ persons over 65 die from falls, which affect one in four adults, according to the CDC. As a result, falls are the main contributor to fatal injuries and severe injuries in this age range. According to epidemiologist Robin Lee of the CDC’s Injury Center, as the population ages, fall-related fatalities will likely increase.
Because of this, it makes sense that residential care settings, such as assisted living communities, focus on fall prevention. Fortunately, if you take action to reduce the risk for your patients, most age-related falls may be avoided. The following five methods can lower falls and enhance residents’ quality of life in assisted living in Midlothian, TX.
Promotion of Physical Fitness
Regular exercise benefits everyone, but older adults need to improve their strength and stability. Exercise can cut the rate of falls by 23%.
Strength, gait, and balance-focused exercise regimens are advised because they are crucial for lowering the risk of resident falls. Based on a physical therapist or doctor’s evaluation, they might be structured exercise groups or individual programs.
Assisted living programs provide personalized health and fitness programs for this. The programs are organized within the grounds of the community, with all the necessary equipment. Skilled team members are also available to ensure that your loved one benefits the most from the exercise without straining them too much or exposing them to activities that will harm them in the long run.
They Leverage the Use of Tech
Technology is being used more and more by caregivers to track the health of elderly adults. But a lot of this comes in the form of wearables, such as wrist blood pressure monitors and alarm pendants, which many residents shun due to concerns about judgment from others. For instance, according to some studies, some older folks feel that those who use wearable technology are “very elderly people with substantial cognitive or physical disabilities,”.
Exer’s AI-driven technology is discrete and non-intrusive, nevertheless. Nothing is physically fastened to your loved one or even close to them. Instead, artificial intelligence and computer vision that uses the camera on any team member’s regular phone or tablet power Exer applications. The technology is then used to assess parameters such as gait, allowing team members to provide health and fitness services most suited to the individual.
Of course, not all these technologies are available in all retirement communities. However, even those that use common forms of this technology, such as wearable tech, have a much higher chance of reducing falls and should be considered over those that do not employ any tech.
Assess for Environmental Causes of Falls in the Surroundings
An environmental assessment of the retirement community identifies common causes of falls in older individuals, including loose carpeting, inadequate lighting, damp or slippery flooring, debris, improperly fitting handrails and tall or narrow staircases.
They then design their apartments to eliminate or mitigate all these risks. You can then rest assured that your loved one will be living in a space that provides little risk of sustaining a fall.
