Falls Among Older Adults
How big is the problem?
* More than one third of adults 65 and older fall each year in the United States (Hornbrook et al. 1994; Hausdorff et al. 2001).
* Among older adults, falls are the leading cause of injury deaths. They are also the most common cause of nonfatal injuries and hospital admissions for trauma (DC 2006).
* In 2005, 15,800 people 65 and older died from injuries related to unintentional falls; about 1.8 million people 65 and older were treated in emergency departments for nonfatal injuries from falls, and more than 433,000 of these patients were hospitalized (CDC 2008).
* The rates of fall-related deaths among older adults rose significantly over the past decade (Stevens 2006). Read more »
Elected “Better Sleep Month” by the Better Sleep Council, this May is the official month to improve all areas of our sleeping lives. Though many don’t realize it, getting a good night’s sleep is vital to our ability to function properly throughout the day. Lack of sleep or interrupted sleep can eventually lead to deterioration of the body and mind. Children, teenagers, adults, and seniors can all suffer the consequences of a poor sleeping pattern. Therefore, it’s important to assess your sleep on a regular basis, and take the right steps toward consistently obtaining better rest.
Looking after an individual who is physically dependent, particularly the elderly is indeed a great commitment. Professional health care attendants are fortunate because they have actually trained on how to render proper care for their geriatric patients. But an average household does not commonly possess the equipment needed for less onerous and safe everyday care of these aged individuals.
You have spent all of your life raising children, working to feed everybody, buy a home, buy clothes to dress everyone, made all of your own financial decisions and you have done a really good job of it. Now, someone comes along and decides that you can’t do this anymore. That they are going to do things to change your life…for your own good. Now tell me, how would you like this to happen to you? Well, it happens to Senior Citizens everyday and sooner or later, you’re going to be one yourself, so plan ahead.



