Taking simple steps at home can prevent fall of the elderly. Installing handrails and grab bars, using non-slip mats, improving lighting and repairing steps and flooring were among them, A.B. Govindaraj, director and senior consultant, Orthopaedics, MGM Healthcare, said.
One out of three adults aged 65 and above have a fall each year. A fall was the leading cause of fatal and non-fatal injuries such as hip fracture, spine fracture and head injuries, he said at the launch of the hospital’s fall prevention programme on Thursday.
Noting that though falls were not natural, they could be devastating. Stating that they could be prevented, he stressed on the need to identify the risk factors. Slipping or tripping could occur due to loss of traction or loss of balance. Brittle bone disease and vitamin D deficiency could add to the problem of falls and fractures, he said.
Health Minister Ma. Subramanian, who launched the programme, raised the need to make homes safe for the elderly. “Falls cannot be predicted. But we can take steps to prevent falls,” he said.
At times, medical reasons such as hypertension cause a person to fall and urged persons aged above 60 to undergo health check-up regularly.
Healthcare providers would visit the houses of the elderly enrolled in the programme to identify and educate them on the impact of fall-related injuries. The team would provide the elderly easy-to-do strength and balance activities that would be remotely monitored by physiotherapists through telerehabilitation programmes. A strong bone programme is in the offing.
Prashanth Rajagopalan, director of the hospital, said there was a need to create a safe environment for the elderly.
