Don't Fall for it!
Amanda recently had the pleasure of talking to the Barossa branch of Meals on Wheels SA. Here's a little bit of what she had to say about falls....
Exercises to lower your risk of falls
Exercise is the most highly-researched fall prevention intervention and is shown to be helpful in the prevention of falls.
These 6 simple exercises should be done 2 to 3 times a week, using a sturdy chair or bench to hold onto for safety.
Heel raises. 10 times
Toe raises. 10 times
Sit to stand. 10 times
Heel-toe stand. 10 seconds then swap.
Heel toe walking. One hand on kitchen bench. 10 steps. Repeat both directions.
One leg stand 10 seconds each side.
All these exercises can be found in our Falls Prevention Exercise Handout which you can download here.
Tips to decrease your chance of falls
Supportive shoes that are fitted correctly and that fasten with laces, buckles or Velcro.
Having your eyes checked regularly, normally every 2 years unless recommended more often and wearing your glasses as prescribed.
Use walking aids if required.
Some medications can increase your risk of falling as they have side effects drowsiness, confusion, unsteadiness and dizziness. This is something to discuss with your doctor or pharmacist if you’re not sure about your medications side effects.
Bright not lamps as poor lighting increases your chance of tripping over. Also using lights when getting up at night.
Making sure cables tucked away so not to trip on them.
Mats can slip and slide on tiled surfaces so having a non-slip underlay helps prevent that from happening.
Non-slip mats in wet areas tiles get slippery especially when wet. Tiles are also slippery in just socks.
Make sure curtains and bed spreads don’t hang across the floor.
Pets should have bright collars and bells so you can see and hear them so they don’t get under your feet.
Clear up spills straight away so you don’t slip on them later.
Things to be careful of outdoors are uneven paths and pavers, trees and bushes overgrowing paths, make sure they are pruned back.
Pack up hoses so they are not lying over paths.
If you would like more information on Falls Prevention, download our PDF here.