Today’s seniors are more determined than ever to maintain their independence. However, determination isn’t always enough. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), one in four Americans aged 65 and older falls each year, and more than 800,000 people are hospitalized each year due to a fall injury.
Falls can have a major impact on a senior’s quality of life. In fact, the National Council on Aging states that the fear of falling can lead to limitations in activities, social isolation, and decreased quality of life among older adults. Because of this, as a healthcare worker, your role in preventing falls is critical.
Falls can happen for many reasons including environmental factors such as slippery floors, poor lighting or cluttered walkways; medical conditions such as muscle weakness, balance issues, or medications; and human factors such as inadequate footwear or impaired hearing or vision.
And while the causes of falls range dramatically, they are typically categorized as one of the following:
One of the most important things healthcare workers can do to prevent falls is to conduct a comprehensive fall risk assessment so that the appropriate preventative measures can be implemented.
Caregivers in home health, home care, and senior care play a vital role in monitoring for changes in both the physical and mental health of those they serve. Common symptoms that could be a sign of a more serious problem include:
In a healthcare facility such as a long-term care or assisted living community, you should check to make sure that the space is free from potential fall risks, including:
It’s also important to consider physical and mental factors such as mobility, gait and use of assistive devices; hearing and vision loss; and cognitive status and awareness.
Certain medications, including sedatives, antidepressants, antipsychotics and hypnotics and increase the risk of falls. Risk is further increased in seniors taking multiple medications. Because of this, it’s important to be vigilant in monitoring and reporting any changes that you see when it comes to mobility, cognition, or medication management.
There are many strategies healthcare workers and their organizations can implement to prevent falls, including:
Proper training of healthcare employees plays an essential role in the prevention of falls to ensure seniors can lead happier, healthier, and more independent lives. Showdme offers ongoing training for healthcare workers including home health, home care, skilled nursing, and assisted living to ensure your employees are equipped with the knowledge they need to ensure the safety and care of those they serve, and ultimately, drive better care outcomes.
Best of all, we manage the entire training process for you, from learning path creation, enrollment, multilingual end-user support, proactive notifications, and more. Click here to learn more about showdme’s compliance training services and software.