A simple accident like tripping on a rug or slipping on a wet floor can change your life. If you fall, you could break a bone, which thousands of older adults experience each year. For older people, a broken bone can also be the start of more serious health problems and can lead to long-term disability. Show
If you or an older adult in your life has fallen, you’re not alone. More than one in four people age 65 years or older fall each year. The risk of falling — and fall-related problems — rises with age. However, many falls can be prevented. For example, exercising, managing your medications, having your vision checked, and making your home safer are all steps you can take to prevent a fall. Many older adults fear falling, even if they haven’t fallen before. This fear may lead them to avoid activities such as walking, shopping, or taking part in social activities. But staying active is important to keeping your body healthy and actually helps to prevent falls. So don’t let a fear of falling keep you from being active! Learn about what causes falls and how to lower your risk of falling so you can feel more comfortable with staying active. What causes falls in older adults?Many things can cause a fall.
Steps to take to prevent fallsIf you take care of your overall health, you may have a lower chance of falling. Most of the time, falls and accidents don’t just happen for no reason. Here are a few tips to help lessen your risk of falls and broken bones, also known as fractures:
What to do if you fallWhether you are at home or somewhere else, a sudden fall can be startling and upsetting. If you do fall, stay as calm as possible and take the following steps:
Keep your bones strong to prevent fall-related fracturesHaving healthy bones won’t necessarily prevent a fall, but if you do fall, healthy bones may help prevent serious injury, such as breaking a hip or other bone. Bone breaks and fracture can lead to a hospital or nursing home stay, long-term disability, or even death. Getting enough calcium and vitamin D can help keep your bones strong. So can staying active. Try to get at least 150 minutes per week of physical activity. Other ways to maintain bone health include quitting smoking and avoiding or limiting alcohol use. Tobacco and alcohol use may decrease your bone mass and increase your chance of fractures. Additionally, try to maintain a healthy weight. Being underweight increases the risk of bone loss and broken bones. Osteoporosis is a disease that weakens bones, making them thin and brittle. For people with osteoporosis, even a minor fall may be dangerous. Talk to your doctor about osteoporosis. Falls are a common reason for trips to the emergency room and for hospital stays among older adults. Many of these hospital visits are for fall-related fractures. You can help lower your risk of fractures by keeping your bones strong and following the tips above to avoid falls. Read about this topic in Spanish. Lea sobre este tema en español. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) This content is provided by the NIH National Institute on Aging (NIA). NIA scientists and other experts review this content to ensure it is accurate and up to date. Which should the nurse do to best prevent the client from falling?The best way to prevent falls is by instituting extra fall precautions for those patients at the highest risk.. Provide a cane.. Keep walkways clear of obstacles.. Assist the patient with ambulation.. Encourage the patient to use the handrails in the hall.. Which of the following actions should a nurse take to assess a client?The first action the nurse should take when using the nursing process is to assess the client; therefore, the priority action for the nurse to take is to determine why the client is refusing the treatment.
Which of the following aspects of client care is measured by a process audit?Which of the following aspects of client care is measured by a process audit? * Quality of nursing care provided. Process audits evaluate the quality of care nurses provide. They also determine if the care provided by nurses is consistent with established facility policy.
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