Information on falls

Living with fewer anxieties about falls

For seniors, falls in and around the home have serious consequences. Did you realize that:

 

• Falls are one of the most serious health risks among seniors over the age of 65, affecting more people than stroke and heart attacks combined.
• Falls are the leading cause of death due to injury in those people 65 and over.
• 95% of hip fractures are caused by falls. 40% of those hospitalized for hip fracture do not return to independent living and 20% will die within a year.
• More than half (55%) of all falls by seniors take place in the home. An additional 23% occur outside but near the house. Kiwi Concern can intervene in close to 80% of all falls.
• Most falls go unreported, but it is expected that 35-40% of people over the age of 65 fall each year.
• Those who fall are 2-3 times more likely to fall again.
• Many chronic medical conditions place millions more seniors at risk. Cardiovascular disease, pulmonary disease, arthritis, diabetes, osteoporosis, diminished hearing and eyesight, and Parkinsons all leave seniors vulnerable to helplessness at home.

There is good news...

Some falls are preventable. Falls caused by environmental factors (like fall hazards in the home) and from side-affects of medication can be foreseen and avoided.

Preventing falls and the resulting injuries can promote independence, by reducing or delaying the need to move out of the home.

Getting help quickly after a fall reduces risk of hospitalization by 26% and death by over 80%.

So what can you do to help prevent falls in the first place?

Kiwi Concern offers you and your family some practical advice.

Fitness: A Key To Fall Prevention

"If exercise could be packaged into a pill, it would be the single most widely prescribed and beneficial medicine in the nation." - Robert N. Butler, MD. Former Director, National Institute on Aging

Treatments including exercise for elderly adults can reduce the risk of falls, as well as help prevent or delay some diseases and disabilities. Older people of all ages have much to gain from staying active, and it's something they can do easily at home.

You can't always prevent a fall, but you can always be prepared for one

The U.S. Center for Disease Control suggests that older adults "think about wearing an alarm device that will bring help in case you fall and can't get up". If that makes good sense to you, than consider the service trusted by many seniors - Kiwi Concern.

Today, we help many seniors or disabled people in New Zealand to live with greater independence and dignity in their own homes. We are proud to be the preferred provider of personal emergency response services to many Kiwi's.

Contact Kiwi Concern now to find out about getting a Kiwi Concern Medical Alarm.