Help! The Senior Citizen in My Life Recently Fell!

Help! The Senior Citizen in My Life Recently Fell!

Health and Fitness May 9, 2017

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You want to do your best to ensure the senior citizen in your life is protected. Sadly, a fall can happen to a senior citizen at some point in their life. Hearing that an elderly friend or family member has fallen is shocking. Older bones weaken over time which means a simple fall can have dire consequences. In this post, you will learn helpful steps to take when a senior you know is starting to fall down.

  • Enlist a Support Device: There is a wide range of walkers and canes to help support a senior. The type of walking support to choose will depend on a senior?s current mobility level. A senior who has little difficulty getting around may need a small cane for minimal assistance. Seniors that have difficulty walking are better suited to a walker for its additional support.
  • Chat about Medications: It is recommended to see if the senior in your life has changed medications. Bouts of falling could be due to an adverse reaction to any new medication. There are instances where medication takes time to start showing side effects. A senior can discuss new side effects with a medical professional. In turn, the doctor will be able to prescribe a new medication to reduce falling incidents. A simple medication change is often responsible for an increase in quality of senior independent living.
  • Seek Professional Care: If no medicine has been changed, a call to the doctor is still wise. A single fall should still be cause for concern. Visiting the doctor will, at least, give the patient peace of mind to know nothing has been damaged. Sometimes, seniors may experience repeated bouts of falling. Assisted living facilities are great for providing 24 hour care for the senior in your life. Many staff members at assisted living facilities specialize in caring for the elderly. Certain assisted living homes allow patients to have a large degree of independence.
  • In closing, there are steps that can be taken if the senior in your life starts falling. Make sure your elderly loved one has the proper walking support device. Falling can sometimes be the result of an adverse medication reaction. It is wise to ask the senior in your life if they have changed medications recently. The best opinion to have is one of a medical professional. It is wise to have a senior that recently fell receive a check up from their doctor. More like this article.