The month of October we address Fall Prevention for seniors; and I believe it’s never too early to talk about it. If you are over 50 it is truly time to start looking at your space as if your 95-year-old grandmother is coming to visit.
As we age, subtle changes happen to our bodies. If you are over 50, you might notice that you can’t stay up as late as you used to. You might realize that you get tired quicker than before, don’t have the stamina to do big tasks, or that your dietary habits have changed.
Sometimes the changes are noticeable. Sometimes we just don’t see it. We “think” that we are just fine until something happens like a fall, a broken bone, or a bad bump on the head.
Just this past week, former President Carter fell in his home and hopefully he is ok. At 95 years old, no doubt, he is amazing. He however is the exception.
One night, a couple years ago, I fell as a mat slipped underneath me as I stepped on it and I broke my ankle. It was truly a wakeup call for me! I never realized that my body was to the point where one little step could create the kind of injury that it did- wearing a cast for over 6 weeks! Luckily the rest of me wasn’t hurt, but I came very close to hitting my head on a dresser, and there were a couple of bruises that resulted later.
Even we “younger seniors” are susceptible to falling and our consequences can result in a broken bone or worse. We should be starting to pay better attention to our own bodies and our own home’s surroundings.
In your late-middle-age years, or your early senior years, even though you might think you are fine, your bones are likely more brittle. Your eyesight may be less than it was before. Your hearing might be less, AND You may have aches and pains that you didn’t used to have. I know I sure do!
We hope to have some great tips here for you to get your mind thinking about your own living space, both indoors and outdoors, so sit back, grab a warm cup of cider with a cinnamon stick, or a pumpkin spice latte and get to know this month’s topic: Fall Prevention!
Warm regards,
Suzanne
