Deadly Falls in Older Americans Are Rising. Here’s How to Prevent Them. (accidents, years)
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People of all ages fall, due to unfortunate circumstances. But if an older person falls, it's attributed to their age. Everyone has to be careful and watch their step at all times or they might suffer severe injuries and disability. I conducted classes in adaptive physical education, to help people learn ways to work around their impairments. So many of them were young people, who had suffered spinal breaks, during falls. Don't wait until you're retirement age, to start taking precautions when moving around.
I backed my Jeep up part way on my grandmother's small carport a few weeks ago. I was getting something out of the passenger's front seat and walked around the back of the car. That side of the porch has some gravel to fill in a gap between the concrete and earth to keep animals from getting under there. I didn't pay attention to the gravel, slipped, and was on my rear end before I knew what happened.
An older person or even a skinnier person without much "padding" might have gotten badly hurt on that.
Mostly common sense and that seems to be lacking. I do wonder if Tai Chi is better than yoga? I don't see how Tai Chis is better than yoga after watching them do it when I lived in China but it does seem a good exercise for elderly.
Mostly common sense and that seems to be lacking. I do wonder if Tai Chi is better than yoga? I don't see how Tai Chis is better than yoga after watching them do it when I lived in China but it does seem a good exercise for elderly.
I took a small-ship cruise this past March that had a good portion of active older people (60s and above) on it and was surprised to see how many of them took time every day to do yoga exercises on deck. They were holding their own on some pretty strenuous hikes so maybe there's something to it.
I backed my Jeep up part way on my grandmother's small carport a few weeks ago. I was getting something out of the passenger's front seat and walked around the back of the car. That side of the porch has some gravel to fill in a gap between the concrete and earth to keep animals from getting under there. I didn't pay attention to the gravel, slipped, and was on my rear end before I knew what happened.
An older person or even a skinnier person without much "padding" might have gotten badly hurt on that.
I did the same thing last winter after returning from a Hawaii vacation. Didn't notice there was just one small, thin patch of melting ice left in the unpaved parking space behind the vehicle. Boom! On the ground before I knew what hit me. I was surprised that my stretch fleece cap came off my head in the fall.
Fortunately no injury to my old and skinny body. Everyone has padding on their butt.
Medications: They must be a factor. The number of medications the average American over 60-65 takes is literally staggering. It's grown by a huge factor over the past decade. The pharmaceutical industry is taking advantage of old folks and really sucking our health care system dry.
I took a small-ship cruise this past March that had a good portion of active older people (60s and above) on it and was surprised to see how many of them took time every day to do yoga exercises on deck. They were holding their own on some pretty strenuous hikes so maybe there's something to it.
I've been dong yoga regularly for the last 5 months and it's fantastic. I think I can hold my own as I age as long as I keep up with the yoga.
Yes, if we are older, we are just one bad fall away from disaster. Walking a track in a gym saved my life. A couple of years ago, a truck almost backed into me in a parking lot. I was able to hop to the side and backwards. The truck stopped about an arm’s length from me. Had I not hopped back I could have been knocked down, at the very least. It all happened very fast, and I am not sure if the driver ever saw me.
I started a thread in the retirement forum about age proofing one’s house. I think we elders should make our homes and yards as safe as possible. But we need to work our bodies as well, to maintain safe mobility for as long as we can.
My 85-year-old mother had a bad fall on Thursday 3/7/19, not quite 3 months ago. She is now bedridden and under hospice care and will likely die over the next few weeks/months.
I'd always heard that falls were extremely serious for elderly people, but this has really brought it home. From living independently in her own apartment to death in a few months.
My Dad fell, broke his hip and expired a few months later. As an EMT I was trained that the average survival time is 18 months.
Sad.
I did the same thing last winter after returning from a Hawaii vacation. Didn't notice there was just one small, thin patch of melting ice left in the unpaved parking space behind the vehicle. Boom! On the ground before I knew what hit me. I was surprised that my stretch fleece cap came off my head in the fall.
Fortunately no injury to my old and skinny body. Everyone has padding on their butt.
Count yourself lucky! One of my coworkers had a similar fall this past winter, and partially fractured her femoral neck. She had to spend several weeks in a wheelchair. Fortunately the fracture healed, and she was able to avoid a hip replacement, but it was a near thing.
It's funny.. I grew up hearing my father yell... "pick up your feet!" I'm 66 and still hear him and haven't fallen yet.
I was about your age when I slipped and fell in a motel shower. I did not break anything, but wow did I go down suddenly. Sure—walking helps. But be careful in motel bathrooms, your own bathroom and anywhere that might be slick.
The most hazardous bathroom I’ve ever been in was in London. A close second was a hotel at the OR Coast that was all done up to look quaint. I think elders should be really careful in strange settings.
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