November is Fall Prevention Month In Ontario

by Bob Montgomery

November is Fall Prevention Month in Ontario.

It's generally assumed that that applies primarily to seniors but Registered Nurse Marguerite Oberle Thomas says it applies to children and seniors, but for different reasons. She says young children are affected because they're still getting their bearings and they don't really understand danger yet, but for older adults there are a number of issues ranging from vision, hearing, medication, exercise, diet and the ability to move as surely and as confidently as they once did. She says simple things like stopping when changing direction and adjusting to the new direction before moving on can prevent a serious fall. Stairs can be another serious challenge if people don't focus and proceed with caution.

Oberle Thomas adds, there a number of other things that aren't an issue when we're younger but become problematic as you grow older. “Sleep patterns are often interrupted, so not as well rested, medication is big, keeping your body well nourished and well hydrated, that's also very big.” The slippers that people often wear just to keep their feet warm are not the kind of shoe with a good grip, and she suggests good lighting is important, particularly some kind of night lighting because seniors tend to have to get up more often in the night.

Oberle Thomas says people dealing with pain, arthritis or serious mobility issues also face additional challenges. People who have things like walkers and canes have them for a reason and it's important that they use them. She says something else that is common as people get older is accumulating more stuff, and a lot of that ends up cluttering a room or a hallway where a person walks, or even on the stairs, and those are just inviting an accident. Oberle Thomas also says a lot of falls occur in the bathroom, and a lot of older bathrooms are not fitted with guards and railings to help older people get out of the tub or up and down from a toilet easily. Another common concern is mats on a floor that can be very slippery on some floors, further contributing to the potential dangers.

Oberle Thomas says it's very important that seniors be aware of the risks that surround them and remove as many of them as possible.

Photos courtesy of Marguerite Oberle Thomas