SHE was very hungry. She needed to get some food. It was midnight and the family was fast asleep. She wanted to wake her caregiver but decided not to because she seemed to be very asleep. At 93, even when I told her not to trust her muscles, she stood up and went to the kitchen by herself. When she slipped on the floor and broke her back bone. From that day, she became bedridden.
Why do we fall? Although more traumatic at an older age, falls can happen at any time in a person’s life. On first impressions, the definition of a fall seems obvious. Understanding exactly what a fall is, and what it means, is an important step in treating and preventing falls. Distinguishing between different situations, such as falls, slips, trips, faints and stumbles is important as it leads to different treatment and prevention strategies.
The World Health Organization defines a fall as an “event which results in a person’s coming to rest inadvertently on the ground or floor or other lower level.” Prevention of Falls Network Europe defines it as “an unexpected event in which the participant comes to rest on the ground, floor or lower level.” Other definitions, which mean different things to different people, include slips, stumbles and trips.
Sometimes, people fall from a fainting spell, a seizure attack or loss of consciousness. Dizziness is a prelude to most fainting events. The older person is prone to experience dizziness due to most of the physiologic changes of aging. The narrowing of peripheral vision, difficulty discriminating sounds, slow reaction time all lead to an escalated fear of falling or loss of balance.
Falls exert a great impact on the quality of life of older persons. Falls can lead to traumatic fractures, or broken bones and soft-tissue injuries. Many times, one’s experience of a fall may lead to depression or fear of getting up or walking again. At such an event, an older person should be compassionately taken cared of.
The good news is, we can prevent falling through proper exercise and knowing how to carry our bodies. Strengthening our muscles and doing resistance training can help build confidence in the way an older person moves and deals with their everyday life. Careful steps and awareness of one’s surroundings play a key role in preventing falls.
My 93-year-old patient is still fighting. Although unable to get up now, she would do passive exercises while in bed. It is really never too late at all.