Falls are the number one cause of injuries leading to ER visits and hospital stays in Ohioans age 65+. Falls are not a natural part of aging and most falls are preventable.
There are four things you can do to prevent falls:
- Talk openly with your healthcare provider about fall risks and prevention. Tell a provider right away if you fall, worry about falling, or feel unsteady
- Exercise to improve your balance and strength. Exercises that improve balance and make your legs stronger can lower your chance of falling.
- Have your eyes and feet checked. Once a year update your eyeglasses with your eye doctor. Have your healthcare provider check your feet once a year.
- Make your home safer. Remove objects you can trip over (like papers, rugs, books, clothes, and shoes). Keep items you use often in cabinets you can easily reach. Have grab bars installed in your bathroom and improve lighting.
If you are interested in learning more about tools that can aid in falls prevention, join us for an educational series. A Matter of Balance: Managing Concerns About Falls is a class specifically designed to address concerns about falling.
A Matter of Balance is an eight-week course that will meet once a week for 2 hours. The series will be held on Tuesdays, Sept. 29 – Nov. 17 from 10 a.m. to noon at Shreve Community Church, 430 N Main Street, Shreve.
A Matter of Balance is offered at no cost to participants. Classes are made up of eight to twelve participants. This class is made possible as part of the Falls Prevention Program of Holmes and Wayne, under the guidance of the Holmes County General Health District.
The fear of falling can be just as dangerous as falling itself. This program emphasizes practical strategies to manage falls, learn to view falls as controllable, and make changes to reduce fall risk at home. The course consists of book-work, small group discussions, and exercise.
If you’ve turned down a chance to go out with family or friends or cut down on a favorite activity because you might fall, this program is for you.
For more information or to register, contact OSU Extension, Wayne County, at 330-264-8722 or tonn.13@osu.edu
Kaitlynn Tonn is an OSU Extension Family & Consumer Sciences Educator and may be reached at 330-264-8722 or tonn.13@osu.edu
CFAES provides research and related educational programs to clientele on a nondiscriminatory basis. For more information, visit cfaes.osu.edu/nondiscrimination. For an accessible format of this publication, visit cfaes.osu.edu/accessibility
This article was previously published in The Daily Record.