Lower Your Risk of Falling - MyHealthfinder

• Updated on: 2022-06-12
• Read original article here

Lower Your Risk of Falling
Healthy Living
The Basics
Overview
You can make small changes to help prevent falls. More than 1 in 4 older adults fall each year. Falling can lead to broken bones, trouble getting around, and other problems — especially if you’re age 65 or older.
A fracture (broken bone) can cause pain and disability. It can also make it hard to do everyday activities without help, like cooking or taking a shower. Broken hips may lead to serious health problems — and even death.
The good news is there are lots of things you can do to lower your risk of falling. Take these steps:
Talk with your doctor about falls and how to prevent them
Do exercises to improve your balance and strength
Review all medicines with your doctor or pharmacist — some medicines can make you dizzy or sleepy and cause you to fall
Get your vision checked by an eye doctor every 1 to 2 years — and be sure to update your glasses or contact lenses when your vision changes
Make your home safer — for example, add grab bars inside and outside your bathtub or shower and put railings on both sides of stairs
Am I at Risk?
Am I at risk of falling?
As people age, poor balance and weak muscles can lead to falls and fractures. Most falls happen when older adults are doing everyday activities like walking.
Some older adults also have vision problems or medical conditions that can make a fall more likely. For example, diabetes can reduce feeling in your feet and a stroke can affect your balance. These conditions can make you more likely to fall.
You may be more likely to fall if you:
Have fallen in the past year
Have a health condition that makes it hard to walk or affects your balance, like diabetes or heart disease
Have trouble walking, getting up from a chair, or stepping up onto a curb
Take many different medicines, especially medicines to help you relax or sleep
Have trouble seeing or have a vision problem like cataracts or glaucoma
Many falls are preventable. Follow these steps to lower your risk of falling.
Get active.
Staying active can help you feel better, improve your balance, and make your legs stronger. Learn more:
Check out this free workout guide for older adults [PDF - 1.6 MB]
Improve your balance.
Exercises that improve your balance can help prevent falls. For example, tai chi is a mind-body exercise that can help with balance. You can:
Check with your local community or senior center for physical activity classes that can help your balance
Try these simple exercises to improve your balance
Build your muscle strength. 
Do muscle-strengthening activities at least 2 days a week. These include lifting weights or using resistance bands (long, stretchy rubber strips).
Try these strength exercises at home .
See a Doctor
There’s a lot your doctor can do to help keep you safe from falls. Talk with your doctor about your risk of falling.
Talk with your doctor about using medicines safely.
Using medicines safely can help prevent falls. Some medicines can make you sleepy or dizzy and cause you to fall. 
Take all of your medicines (including over-the-counter medicines) to a doctor or pharmacist and ask if any of them could increase your risk of falling.
Get your vision checked.
Your vision changes as you get older. Poor vision can increase your chances of falling.
Get your eyes tested every 1 to 2 years to make sure you’re wearing glasses or contact lenses with the right prescription strength. Be sure to update your glasses or contacts if your prescription has changed. Read more about keeping your vision healthy .
Get a bone density test.
If you’re a woman age 65 or older, get a bone density test to measure how strong your bones are. If you’re a woman age 64 or younger and you have gone through menopause, ask your doctor if you need a bone density test. Learn more about bone density tests .
If you have weak bones (osteoporosis), ask your doctor or nurse what steps you can take to stop bone loss and lower your risk of fractures.
Home Safety
Help prevent falls at home.
About half of all falls happen inside the home. Take these steps to make your home safer:
Have railings put on both sides of all stairs inside and outside of your home
Have grab bars put inside and outside your bathtub or shower and next to the toilet
Use non-slip mats in the bathtub or shower
Remove small rugs or use double-sided tape to keep rugs from slipping
Use bright lights throughout your home, especially on the stairs
Keep stairs and places where you walk clear of clutter — pick up or move things you can trip over, like cords, papers, shoes, or books
Keep kitchen items you use often in easy-to-reach cabinets or shelves
Use this checklist to help prevent falls at home . 
And be sure to follow these safety tips:
Always wear shoes with non-slip soles, even inside your home — don’t walk barefoot or wear slippers or socks instead of shoes
When you're getting out of a chair, stand up slowly
When you're getting out of bed, sit up first and then stand up slowly
Healthy Habits
Get enough calcium.
Getting enough calcium can help keep your bones strong and make them less likely to break. You can: