Simple Steps Elders Can Take to Prevent Falling at Home

Every 11 seconds, an older adult is seen in an emergency department for a fall-related injury. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there are about 3 million emergency department visits per year due to older adult falls. Consequently, nearly 319,000 elders are hospitalized for hip fractures, 10% of whom will die within a month and 30% within a year. 

Unintentional falls are the leading cause of injury deaths among King County residents over the age of 65. That’s 48% of injury deaths in that age group, according to Paige Denison, director of health, wellness, and Project Enhance at Sound Generations.

Sound Generations is a local organization that provides programming and services to older adults in the Seattle area. Its mission is to remove inequities that impact aging by providing elders with accessible, essential, and inclusive services. 

Denison describes where many elders lose footing. 

“In King County, 77% of falls happen in the home, and there’s trips and slips and stumbles at ground level. There’s many things we can do about our environment, about keeping our bodies moving, and doing our screenings. Sometimes we don’t think about how hearing and vision really impact falls, too,” Deninson explained.

Though the CDC warns of the increased risk of falling past age 65, Denison said, “The rates begin increasing around age 45 — between 45 and 54 — and then among older adults, the highest rates are for people 85 and older.”

Mattie Taplin, Seattle resident and community outreach specialist with Sound Generations, also spoke to the Emerald about the work she does to spread awareness about fall prevention. 

“I am very passionate about fall [prevention] because I myself have fallen a number of times due to physical limitations that I have,” said Taplin.

For the past six years, Taplin has been an instructor for Enhance Fitness and Sound Generation’s Matter of Balance, an eight-week program designed to help older adults mitigate the risk of falls.

Taplin says falls can be controlled. According to Mayo Clinic, some precautions to reduce the risk of falling are knowing if any of your medications can affect coordination or balance, removing fall hazards, keeping your home well-lit, and sleeping and exercising regularly. 

Taplin says one way elders can learn to control falls is by remaining active. “Inactivity is not our friend. We need to be physically active, doing different activities outside the home — one of them being exercising.”

In addition to improving physical resilience, Taplin delves into the emotional impact of falls. The Matter of Balance class provides space for elders to discuss fears related to falling. “We talk about their fears of falling, their concerns about falling, and ways that they can change some of their thought patterns, reducing their fears so that they feel more comfortable getting out and doing the activities,” said Taplin.

Sound Generations has created an online resource guide for elders in King County to help reduce the increasing fall rate. If you or someone you know is interested in taking immediate action to prevent falling at home, here are six steps you can take: 

1. Find a good balance and exercise program.

2. Talk to your health care provider about falls.

3. Review your medications with your health care provider.

4. Get hearing and vision checkups.

5. Keep your home safe to prevent falls.

6. Talk to your friends, family members, or support team.