Senior Spotlight: Surprising Fall Risks

Did you know that 1 in 4 seniors (14 million people!) fall each year? A significant number of these falls lead to injuries, short- and long-term mobility issues and a change in living arrangements. In our Senior Spotlight spirit of living longer & living better, we wanted to share a recent read from AARP regarding 15 surprising things that increase fall risk. Some of these you have heard of; some will seriously surprise you! 

Read In Full (AARP): 15 Surprising Things That Can Increase Your Risk of Falling

While we have covered many of these on our blog over the years and annually during our ‘Fall Prevention Month’ edition in September, we wanted to point out 5 factors for falls that we have not discussed before. The risks you may be most familiar with are: weight, weak bones, muscle loss, previous fall history, medication side effects and age-related diseases such as stroke, arthritis and Parkinson’s disease.

5 Lesser-Known Fall Risks

#1: Worsening Memory: A 2023 published in The Journal of the Alzheimer's Association verified what has long been documented, that those with Alzheimer’s and dementia have an increased risk of falls as the brain has trouble telling the body what to do and how to navigate obstacles. Consistent routines and in-home support can help. 

#2: Vision Changes: A large number of people over age 50 wear bifocals, trifocals or progressive lenses; however, these types of lenses make it harder to see the ground below and judge depth. Recommendations include annual eye exams and single-vision lenses when walking or going up and down stairs. 

#3: Walking Too Slow: This sounds counterintuitive, right? Most safety practices involve slowing down, yet research has shown that those older adults who walk slowly actually fall MORE often! Proper footwear and aerobic exercise are linked to stability and stamina needed to walk at a safe pace. 

#4: Hearing Loss: Did you know that hearing and balance are intricately connected? Both systems reside in the inner ear and dramatically impact one another. Adults who need hearing aids and wear them even a few hours a day fall less than those who don’t wear them at all! 

#5: Diabetes: Most people correlate diabetes with simply impacting blood sugar and weight, but it actually increases your risk of falling too. Those with diabetes often face vision changes, sensory function and neuropathy challenges and even take medications that may reduce sugars and make them light-headed. Careful, regular management of diabetes can support a reduction in medication side effects and an improvement in overall related conditions. 

We hope that you learned something that surprised you today – so that you can do something about it! Whether you or a loved one are experiencing one of these increased fall risks, we hope you now feel empowered to make lifestyle changes and talk to your medical providers as you advocate for your highest, best and lowest-fall risk quality of life! 

Cheers,

Bobbi 

Bobbi Decker
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