If you are older than 60 yrs & have fallen with no medical reason like blacking out, and no large external force knocking you over, the odds that you will fall again in the next year are pretty high unless you act to participate in fall prevention interventions.
Please go to CDC.gov/Older Adult Falls to learn much more about your own individual risk of falls and steps you can take to reduce that risk.
Please let your primary care person know, especially if you have fallen 2 or more times within the last 12 months (recurrent faller). Ask to have your medications reviewed and managed to reduce medication-related fall risk.
If you have access, please see a physical therapist who is board certified in neurology (NCS) or geriatrics (GCS) or who is certified or credentialed in balance and fall prevention. If your main issue is dizziness, find a PT who is certified in vestibular rehabilitation. A specialized PT can do a very comprehensive balance and falls assessment and work with you to improve your balance and increase the steadiness of your walking. Google “Find a PT”. If you are over 75 and/or more frail, the Otago exercise program may be very helpful.
Please get your vision checked. Not just acuity for reading/driving, but also depth perception, contrast sensitivity, and visual fields. These latter three are very important for perceiving your environment, recognizing hazards so you can avoid them, etc
If you are already a recurrent faller, please have a PT or Occupational therapist (OT) come to your home to do a home safety evaluation and make recommendations about home safety.
If you haven’t fallen yet, or have only fallen once and we’re not injured and we’re able to get back up again by yourself, look for community fall prevention
programs near you (Area Association on Aging, YMCA, etc). Some programs emphasize education: A Matter of Balance or Stepping On or Bingocize. Some are exercise programs like Enhance Fitness or SAIL (Stay Active and independent for Life) or FallProof, and the YMCA often has Tai Chi for Arthritis and Tai Chi Moving for Better Balance.
Studies consistently show that exercise (balance, or balance and leg strength) can substantially reduce your fall risk from 25% to 50% depending on your baseline risk and how much moderate to high intensity balance (not aerobic) exercise you do. Medication management, vision care, and home safety modifications can further reduce risk.
Stay steady everyone!
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