HOW CAN I PREVENT FALLS ?
Watching Your Steps
As we age, it becomes increasingly important to be able to identify and avoid potential hazards that may pose a risk of falls. This involves taking steps to help make your environment safer whether it's at home or outdoors in your community.
To further support you in your effort to identify and avoid potential hazards, it is also recommended that you consult the appropriate healthcare professional for an annual eye exam, a regular foot and footwear check and an assessment of proper use of assistive devices.
However, it all starts with avoiding risky behavior which may lead to a fall-related injury due distractions or inattentiveness. Taking steps such as getting a good night's sleep, following responsible drinking guidelines and taking your time to avoid rushing are a few examples of recommended safety measures you can follow every day.
Avoiding Risky Behavior
Lack of sleep or having poor quality sleep can impair balance, and reduce reaction time and increase your risk for a fall. Fortunately, you can do many things to help you get a good night’s sleep such as avoiding large meals right before bedtime, limiting caffeinated beverages and keeping your bedroom dark, cool and quiet.
Alcohol can harm the way the body and brain function at any age. However, many older adults remain unaware of how more vulnerable they may be to alcohol-related problems such as memory loss, depression, insomnia and an increase risk of falls.
For information about ways to identify and address such problems, please consult the Alcohol and Seniors guidebook.
Making Your Home Safer
Falls in older adults are often due to hazards that are easy to overlook but simple to fix. In order to reduce your risk of falls, we recommend that you consult the Home Safety Checklist. This resource along with its accompanying Personal Action Plan checklist will help you identify and manage some of the most common hazards in and around your home.
However, if you are mainly concerned about reducing your risk of falls down stairs, please check out the 12 Steps to Stair Safety at Home.
In addition, older adults who request a Seniors Health, Well-being and Home Safety Review could qualify for available grants and tax credits such as the Minor Home Repairs Grant, the New Brunswick Seniors' Home Renovation Tax Credit or funding from the Homeowner Repair Program for Seniors to help with the cost of making homes safer and more accessible.
For more information, please contact the 211 NB helpline by dialing 2-1-1.
Making Your Community Safer
Being aware of outdoor hazards can help you avoid falls when out in your community. Issues such as uneven sidewalks, public buildings without automatic door openers or a lack of sufficient benches along walkways contribute to an increased risk of falls. This is why we recommend that you do not hesitate to contact the right person in authority to address such hazards as soon as possible.
Interested in doing more? We encourage you to click on the following link for more information about what you can do to help.
Resources
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Staying Independent Checklist
Vision and Eye Health
As we age, it is normal for our vision to change. This is why it's important to recognize those changes as early as possible since your vision is so important to daily living. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to preserve your eyesight and improve your vision such as making efforts to avoid smoking, wearing sunglasses when needed and keeping rooms well-lit.
However, the most important thing you can do is to have a comprehensive eye exam at least once a year since many of the conditions that cause vision loss such as glaucoma and macular degeneration do not have symptoms in their early stages. For more information, please click on the Vision Care fact sheet image.
Foot Care and Proper Footwear
If your feet are sore, nail care is poor, or if you have foot problems, the way you walk can change. Taking care of your feet and shoes are important recommendations to follow to help prevent falls.
For information about the ideal shoe in addition to simple foot care tips, please click on the Foot Care and Footwear fact sheet.
Assistive Device Use
Assistive devices are useful items that help to reduce the strains of daily activities at home, at work, or at play. They include medical equipment, mobility aids and practical aids that can suit many different needs. If you think you could benefit from using an assistive device, it is recommended that you consult your primary care provider, pharmacist, or an occupational therapist at your earliest convenience.
For more information about assistive devices and how to decide which one is best for you, please click on the Go for It: A Guide to Choosing and Using Assistive Devices guidebook.
Resources
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Developed by Éduc’alcool
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Developed by Trauma NB
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Home Safety Checklist - Personal Action Plan
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Developed by Trauma NB
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12 Steps to Stair Safety at Home
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Developed by the Public Health Agency of Canada
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Seniors Health, Well-being and Home Safety Review
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Developed by the NB Department of Social Development
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Offered by the NB Department of Social Development
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New Brunswick Seniors' Home Renovation Tax Credit
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Offered by the NB Finance and Treasury Board
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Homeowner Repair Program for Seniors
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Offered by the NB Department of Social Development
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Developed by NB Senior and Healthy Aging Secretariat
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Original concept developed by the Alberta Centre for Injury Control and Research
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Go for It: A Guide to Choosing and Using Assistive Devices
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Developed by the Public Health Agency of Canada
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