Medical alert systems and medication vigilance can improve senior safety
July 1, 2011
Even though the ice and snow have long since melted and summer has arrived, seniors are still at risk of falling. The Alberta Center for Injury Control and Research (ACICR) in Canada runs a program call Finding Balance, which teaches seniors and caregivers how to avoid everyday dangers that could cause falls, according to the Leduc Rep. They recommend exercise, keeping an eye on medications and avoiding alcohol.
“In the winter, you’re a lot more conscious of where you’re walking, and during the summer you’re looking at the beautiful flowers and the scenery and you’re not watching where you’re stepping,” Jennifer Fernandes, the education coordinator at the ACICR, told the news source.
Ottawa Public Health encourages seniors to regularly inspect their medicine cabinets to get rid of old and unneeded medications. The Ottawa Start reports that seniors are at an increased risk for falling if they have more than four prescriptions that they take on a regular basis. Seniors can use medical alert systems to get help if they fall and cannot reach a phone. The National Institute on Aging states that one in three individuals over the age of 65 falls each year, and an emergency medical alert system can help if a senior is injured.
