Iowa hopes to prevent senior falls
September 21, 2011
For many elders, falling can mean a loss of independence, serious injury or even death. To prevent such outcomes, Iowa Methodist Medical Center is offering free balance screenings to seniors on Friday, National Falls Awareness Day, the Des Moines Register reports.
According to Karen Jones, trauma and injury prevention coordinator for Iowa Health – Des Moines, out of 4,001 patients that visited the Iowa Methodist Medical Center for falls in 2010, 2,225 of them were over the age of 65.
Jones hopes the program will give seniors a chance to find out how they measure in terms of mobility and ways to improve.
“When older people fall, a lot of times that leads them to a loss of their independence and mobility,” Jones told the news source. “We want to be able to prevent that. We want them to be able to stay at home and have fun in their lives and not have to go to skilled care or assisted living.”
Those worried about their loved ones aging in place may want to install a medical alert system in their homes. The wearable alert allows seniors the freedom to age comfortably and the ability to call for help in an instant should they fall.
