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You Can Prevent Most Falls
From the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control
Many falls can be prevented. By making some changes, you can lower your chances of falling.
There are four things you can do to prevent falls.
1. Begin a regular exercise program
Exercise is one of the most important ways to lower your chances of falling. It makes you stronger and helps you feel better. Exercises that improve balance and coordination, like dancing and Tai Chi, are the most helpful. Lack of exercise leads to weakness and increases your changes of falling. Ask your doctor or health care professional about the best type of exercise program for you.
2. Make your home safer.
About half of all falls happen at home. Some ways to prevent falls include:
- Remove things you can trip over from stairs and places where you walk.
- Remove small throw rugs or use double-sided tape to keep the rugs from slipping.
- Keep items you use often in cabinets you can reach easily without using a step stool.
- Have grab bars put in next to your toilet and in the bathtub or shower.
- Use non-slip mats in the bathtub and shower.
- Improve the lighting in your home. As you get older, you need brighter lights to see well. Hang light-weight curtains or shades to reduce glare.
- Add handrails and lights in all staircases.
- Wear shoes both inside and outside the house. Avoid going barefoot, walking in socks or stockings, or wearing slippers.
3. Ask a health care professional to review your medicines.
Ask your doctor, nurse, pharmacist, or other health care professional to review all the medicines you take, even over-the-counter medicine, such as cold medicine. As you get older, the way some medicines work in your body can change. Some medicines, or combinations of medicines, can make you drowsy or light-headed, which can cause you to fall.
4. Have your vision checked.
Have your eyes checked by an eye doctor at least once a year. You may be wearing the wrong glasses or have a condition like glaucoma or cataracts that limits your vision. Poor vision can increase your chances of falling.
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