Health dept. joins partners to promote falls prevention during fall season
Accidental falls are a leading cause of fatal injuries among people age 65 and older, and the most common cause of non-fatal hospital admissions due to injury.
Following the lead of the National Council on Aging which sponsors a Falls Awareness Day annually on the first day of fall, the Lake County Health Department is working with the Senior Services Coalition of Lake County and the Lake County Falls Prevention Task Force to raise awareness with falls prevention messages during the fall months of September, October and November.
The coalition and task force, which represent a cross section of health care providers and senior service groups, are also participating in the Waukegan Township C.A.R.E.S. 13th Annual Walk for Seniors from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Sept. 8. Stop by the booth in Victory Park, at Glen Flora and North Avenue in Waukegan, to have your questions or concerns about falls prevention addressed by experts. Balance screening will be offered after 10:30 a.m.
Preventing falls can include something as simple as having your vision checked regularly, wearing non-skid shoes that fit, or removing throw rugs from the floors in your home. Maintaining lower body strength through exercise also helps with stability.
To test your balance, try the “single leg stance.” First stand in front of a sturdy chair for safety, have someone else use a clock to time you, cross your arms over your chest, lift one leg about 6 inches off the floor and start timing until you can no longer stand on one leg. You should be able to balance on each leg for at least 15 seconds to avoid falls.
Seniors who fall not only find themselves being admitted to hospitals, but many cannot maintain their independence after leaving the hospital. In Lake County, about 3,200 seniors annually seek medical care in an emergency room for injuries due to a fall, according to the Illinois Survey of Hospital Discharges. Of those 3,200 seniors about 2,000 are admitted to hospitals and just 45 percent of those admitted return home.
There are also direct medical costs with falls-related injuries. Charges to Lake County seniors who had emergency care due to a fall went from $40.8 million in 2009 to $49 million in 2010, a 21 percent increase. Costs for seniors admitted to hospitals due to a fall increased from $72 million in 2009 to $121 million in 2010, a 67 percent increase.
Follow our falls prevention messages this fall on Facebook and Twitter and share the messages with your friends:
https://www.facebook.com/healthdepartment
https://twitter.com/LakeCoHealth
You may also find helpful information on our Falls Prevention Web page, or try an exercise video specifically for seniors on the Focus on Fitness Web page.
http://www.lakecountyil.gov/Health/Pages/FallsPrevention.aspx
http://www.lakecountyil.gov/Health/Pages/FocusonFitnessVideoLibrary.aspx