Local people advise how to prevent falls

    Today is the autumnal equinox, which marks the first day of fall in the Northern Hemisphere. The National Council on Aging (NCOA) wants to use the day to educate the public about a different kind of fall: the one that afflicts millions of elderly individuals every year.

    According to the NCOA, falls are the leading cause of fatal injuries for Americans 65 years old and older. In 2008, over 2.1 million elderly adults were treated in emergency rooms because of a fall, and each year more than 18,000 Americans die from a fall.

    The United States Senate wants to spread the word about falling as well. The Senate voted to designate Sept. 23 as ?National Falls Prevention Awareness Day.?

    Vice president of Injury Prevention with NCOA Lynn Beattie remarked, ?When an older adult falls, it can begin a cascade of events affecting quality of life, including a loss of independence, reduced mobility, and even earlier admission to a nursing home. The good news is that falls are largely preventable.?

    Beverley Kephart, the secretary for the Washington County Task Force on Aging, said that a few older folks are reluctant to use walking aides such as canes and walkers. 

    ?For some people, it?s embarrassing to use a walker,? said Kephart.

    Susan Wellington of Lending Hands said that attitudes about walking aids vary from person to person. She said that some of the people who use them may not need them, while others stubbornly refuse them when in fact they ought to have them. 

    ?We try to monitor whether someone uses a cane or walker, so that they don?t forget to use it,? said Wellington. ?If someone is on uneven ground, we will assist them across it.?

    Liz Miksch, the rehab services director at the Washington County Hospital and Clinics, remarked canes and walkers are essential tools for people struggling with their balance.

For the full story, see the Sept. 23 edition of The Washington Evening Journal