Fall accidents are a major risk to senior citizens living at home. According to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in 2010 alone, more than 18,000 seniors died after injuries that they suffered during a fall. The federal administration wants to minimize the threat fall accidents can pose to seniors living at home, and has announced a new study that will be conducted by the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute and the National Institute of Health.
The $30 million study will feature a group of 6,000 adults above the age of 75, or their caregivers. The study will be different from others in the past that have investigated strategies to reduce the risk of senior falls. According to the researchers, the study will take the data that has been collected in the past, and use it to develop the best strategies aimed at preventing falls in a real-world setting.
For instance, at New York Citys Mount Sinai Health System, which is one of the venues for the study, 600 patients will be tested for a number of fall prevention techniques. Those techniques include physical therapy, management of medications, home evaluation, as well as community social service referrals. The goal is to identify those strategies that are most beneficial in preventing the risk of fall accidents involving senior citizens.
Preventing fall accidents involving seniors is not just a matter of maintaining a home that is debris and clutter- free. Apart from home improvements and a safer home, there are also issues related to elder health, including deteriorating vision, poor gait, and balance problems that need to be accounted for, when developing prevention strategies.
Don’t underestimate the benefit that a home care companion can provide to your loved one.
A home care companion can help eliminate a seniors fall risks
by helping seniors get around inside the home, to the bathroom or for outings and walks outside.
Call us to understand how our services can help, or for information on affordable care packages.