For the past five years, over 500 falls have been captured annually at the emergency room in Groves Memorial Community Hospital in Fergus, with a majority of fallers aged 60 and older and with females counting for 300 falls.
When a fall occurs, 115 are attributed to slips and trips and 205 result in an upper limb injury and 115 with a lower limb injury.
So what can you do to prevent falls?
Exercise daily to build strength and improve balance.
Wear safe footwear. Have regular eye check-ups.
Make your home safer. Remove clutter and tripping hazards and add railings on all stairs and grab bars in the bathroom.
Have good lighting, particularly on stairs.
Talk to your health care provider to learn more about your risk.
Proactive approach
The Safe Communities Falls Prevention Priority Advisory Group (for the Older Adult) have been promoting the falls prevention screening tool to local health care providers to identify individuals at risk.
By implementing this falls prevention screening tool, we hope to create a proactive versus reactive approach to falls and begin a community conversation about falls prevention.
Remember, it takes a community to prevent a fall … we all have a role to play.
For information about the free services offered by the Minto-Mapleton Family Health Team, visit www.mmfht.ca or call the Drayton office at 519-638-2110 or Clifford office at 519-327-4777.
“Like” them on Facebook (Minto-Mapleton Family Health Team) and follow on Twitter (@MintoMapleton) for healthy living tips and information on upcoming programs and events in the area.
Jena Baker is a Registered Kinesiologis with the Upper Grand Family Health Team.
