Every year, one out of four older Americans falls. Counting those falls, fractured bones or head injuries occur 20% of the time. Your dad fell, and he’s been anxious about falling again. It’s impacting his daily activities. What can you or an elder care provider do?
Discuss the Reason for His Fall
Find out why your dad fell. He may not immediately know, but it can help to go over what he was doing. With that information, you can narrow down possible causes for the fall.
For example, your dad fell an hour after he took his blood pressure medication. Ask him if he felt dizzy. When the side effects of a prescription drug include dizziness, it does increase the risk of a fall. To adjust to the dizziness, he could ask about taking the medications before getting into bed for the night or taking it and then sitting down for a couple of hours to eliminate the risk of falling again.
Maybe his blood sugar levels were low. He can prevent additional falls by ensuring he’s not skipping meals and eating snacks regularly to keep his blood sugar levels stabilized.
If he tripped on something he’d put on the floor, it helps to go through his home and clear any clutter. Organizing his rooms to ensure everything is out of the way will help prevent future falls.
Find Out What Will Help Ease His Fear
Talk to your dad about the steps that can be taken to ease his fear. Suppose he was out for his daily walk and slipped on packed snow. Invest in a set of ice cleats that he can put on his shoes to keep from slipping on the ice again. He may feel better walking with someone else rather than walking alone in the future.
If medication side effects cause dizziness, he might want to have someone else in the home when he takes them. Arrange to have an elder care aide with him in the morning until the dizziness passes. You could also talk to his doctor to see if there’s a different medication with fewer side effects that would work just as well.
Hire Elder Care Services
Why did your dad fall? It could be time to have elder care aides around to help him with mobility. With the support of a caregiver, your dad can safely get out of bed. He has help getting in and out of the shower or on and off of the sofa. Call an elder care specialist to schedule caregiver services.
Sources:
https://www.cdc.gov/homeandrecreationalsafety/falls/adultfalls.html
