In Home Safety for the Elderly to Prevent Falls

In its June 2010 study, the Australian Bureau of Statistics reveals that the country's population is ageing as a result of 'sustained low fertility and increasing life expectancy.'

The median age of the Australian population has increased to 36.9, which means that there are proportionally fewer children less than 15 years of age. About 3 million of its 22 million total population are individuals aged 65 years or older.

The 'prevention of falls' in the elderly is a major health issue in Australia. The government spends millions of dollars to address the costs to the health system from falls and injuries in older adults aged 65 years or older. Often, falls result to more serious problems like a hip fracture or head injury.

Some of the factors that increase the risk of falls in older people are balance, cognitive and visual difficulties, decreased muscle strength and sometimes the combination of a number of different medications. In the 1998 study of the Australia Institute of Health and Welfare, and may still be true now, the number of hospitalizations due to falls in the house increase with age. For both males and females, the increase is at 2.1 times in the former and 4.8 times with the latter between 65 to 69 years of age and above 85 years old.

Fall-related injuries in older people usually occur at home, in public buildings and in residential institutions.

The government has initiated programs to help frail older people reduce the risk of fall-related injuries and access to services they need. Australia has the Home and Community Care (HACC) Program which assists older people and even younger people with physical disabilities. Their services include home enhancements like provision of rails and ramps, personal care and nursing, home visits and help with household tasks.

On the other hand, the government's Community Rehabilitation Centers (CRCs) provide physiotherapy to help clients, older people and young people with disability, improve flexibility. The CRCs also offer diagnosis and treatment of foot and lower limb difficulties, speech pathology and dietetics.

Both the American Geriatrics Society and the British Geriatrics Society also strongly recommend the provision of Vitamin D supplements of at least 800 IU per day to older people with high risk to Vitamin D deficiency.

To prevent accidents, simple home modifications such as keeping electric cords safe, removing loose rugs and having adequate lighting along corridors and halls are basic measures that really help. Elderly people should also be reminded by their caregivers to wear always their eyeglasses and hearing aids. To avoid slips and falls, it is also helpful to for the elderly to have footwear that is easy to put on and is properly fitted to the user.

Fall-related injuries in elderly people can be reduced further if care givers find a way to know more about a patient's history and circumstances of any previous falls. In that way, the caregiver can provide sound advice for the elderly to avoid these high-risk activities.

The more informed and conscious the elderly are of their limitations, the more likely they become safe from fall-related injuries.