SENIORITY
     DENISE NELESEN

     National Action Plan takes steps to help prevent falls
     May 28, 2005

     If you're a 75-year-old (or older) female living alone, you have a
great probability of having a fall. Add to that the use of a cane or a
walker, an acute illness, alcohol use or a previous fall, and your odds
worsen. Toss in poor lighting, vision problems and a few throw rugs, and
you're an accident waiting to happen.

     During fiscal year 2003-04, more than 7,000 people over 75 in the
county had falls so serious that they required help from paramedics,
according to the latest County Emergency Medical Services statistics. That's
about 19 seniors each day.

     Everyone stumbles once in a while, but when a frail older adult falls,
the results can be life altering, even fatal. Of those seniors who survive
their falls, many suffer serious injuries, including hip fractures and head
trauma. Once hospitalized for a hip fracture, about 40 percent never live
independently again.

     People who have fallen once become fearful of falling again, according
to Joanne Price, chair for the Fall Prevention Committee with the Health
Promotions unit of the County's Aging & Independence Services. "They'll
start walking in more of a shuffle than a full step, but this puts them at
more risk. When you're not lifting your foot, you're more likely to catch
your foot on something."

     Fall prevention is just starting to get the attention is deserves as a
public health issue. The National Council on Aging, with support from the
Archstone Foundation and the Home Safety Council, launched a National Action
Plan this year to educate the public, service providers and health/social
service professionals. The plan focuses on four target areas: physical
mobility, medication management, home safety and environmental safety.

     1. Physical mobility refers not only on one's ability to move, but
balance and strength. Falls are common just trying to get down to or up from
a toilet. Strengthening thigh muscles is one way to help reduce the risk of
a fall with that important activity. The NCOA plan calls for having more
physical mobility programs and services for older adults.

     The county sponsors Feeling Fit Clubs specifically for seniors who
have seen a decline in their functioning. The program is geared to address
flexibility, balance and strength, helping participants build on their
abilities gradually. There are other such programs at YMCAs, gyms and other
settings in the community. Older adults should consult their physician
before beginning an exercise program, but almost any senior can benefit from
these functional fitness classes, even if they've been sedentary for a long
time.

     2. Medication management is important, because taking pills improperly
or having negative drug reactions can lead to confusion, dizziness,
drowsiness and other cognitive states that increase instability. Seniors
should consult with their doctor and pharmacist about any interactions with
the medications they are taking and learn how a new medication should be
taken. They should also use reminders, such as pillboxes, to make sure
they're taking their pills properly.

     3. Home safety focuses on reducing hazardous conditions, such as poor
lighting, and adding features that will make getting around easier, such as
handrails and grab bars.

     Just keeping the home straightened up and getting rid of items can
help, Price says. "Clutter is one of the biggest problems with seniors,
especially if they've lived in the house a long time."

     Seniors should get their adult children to help sort through items and
modify the home to reduce the risk of falls, she adds. "Instead of bringing
flowers, they could help fall-proof the house, moving items so they can be
easily reached, for instance, so there's no need for a step stool."

     Besides adding a grab bar in the shower, they could install grab bars
or a commode stand near all the toilets and a grab bar or partial railing to
help the senior more safely get out of bed. Stairs should have sturdy
raisings on both sides of a stairway.

     Family caregivers can get help modifying their home or their parent's
home through the Family Caregiver Support Program coordinated by Aging &
Independence Services. Through the program, Interfaith Community Services
and Jewish Family Services provide a menu of home safety and modification
services, including grab-bar installation, light-switch repairs      and
more.

     For more information, North County caregivers may contactl Rebecca
Steiner at Interfaith, rsteiner@interfaithservices.org. For other areas of
the county, contact Brenda Bothel of Jewish Family Services,
Brendab@jfssd.org

     4. Environmental safety refers to addressing hazards outside the home,
such as cracked pavement, and making improvements in public buildings, such
as adding handrails and ramps. The NCOA plan suggests informing the public
about the environmental hazards to older adults so they will advocate for
improvements.

     To read more about the NCOA National Action Plan, see www.ncoa.org .
Other Web sites are www.stopfalls.org      and www.safeaging.org , which is
coordinated through the Gerontology Department at SDSU. If you know of an
organization that would like a presentation on fall prevention, contact
Katie Judd, AIS Health Promotions, (858) 495-5998.