Did you know that one in three Americans over the age of 65 will fall every year? Balance related falls are responsible for more than half of all accidental deaths among the elderly. According to the CDC, 30% of seniors who fall and break their hip will die within a year a their fall.

Because of these grim stats, Fall Prevention Awareness has its own day on the calendar: September 22.

According to the National Council on Aging (NCOA), “Falling is NOT a natural part of aging.” There are preventable measures we can take for ourselves and our loved ones to decrease the chances of falling. Here are 6, taken from the NCOA:

1. Keep your home safe! Are all pathways clear of trip hazards? Is there sufficient lighting in hallways. Might you need additional safety equipment like grab bars in the bathroom?
2. Regularly review your medications for side effects. Are they causing dizziness or light headedness? Be aware of how your meds affect you, and only take as prescribed.
3. Get your vision and hearing checked annually. Your eyes and ears are key to keeping your balance. You may need to change the prescription on your glasses as you age.
4. Build balance, strength and  flexibility. Low impact exercises like tai chi and chair aerobics can maintain the strength you have. Be diligent about any assigned physical or occupational therapy. As they say, it’s use it or lose it!
5. Ask your doctor for a fall risk assessment. Be honest and share any history of falls or episodes of imbalance so a complete and accurate assessment can be performed.
6. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. It’s ironic, but if you want to stay independent, you have to ask for help! Ask family or friends for support, or enlist the help of a caregiver to make sure you can continue living your life in the comfort of your own home.

Tune in to NCOA on Facebook Live this Wednesday, September 23, 2020 at 3:30 pm PST.  guest experts to provide practical tips for preventing falls. Here’s the link: NCOA Facebook

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Aaron Laney

President & Founder at Aaron Home Care

Aaron Laney truly has the heart and experience for the field of caregiving. He first began working with adults with disabilities in 1994 as a camp counselor in New York State, where he discovered that he had a talent for communicating with others who might not be able to care for themselves.

In 1999, Aaron was named Residential Program Manager of a group home for disabled adults in Arlington, Virgina. Here, he built a reputation for being compassionate with his clients and efficient in company operations. In the years that followed, Washington DC’s human services field went through unprecedented reform when the city was fined $11 million for the previously unchecked abuse, neglect, and exploitation of the very population it was supposed to protect. In 2005, Aaron was selected by a watchdog company to co-create and implement a monitoring system to safeguard and advocate for the system’s most vulnerable residents. This system is still in use today.

Aaron is now using his unique gifts and profound experience in the human service field to provide San Diego County Seniors with dependable, compassionate caregivers through Aaron Home Care.

He currently serves on the board of the San Diego Regional Home Care Council and is an active member of the Senior Advocate Network of San Diego.

Aaron Home Care is a member of the American Board of Home Care and is accredited by the Better Business Bureau.

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