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One of the greatest concerns for dementia patients, and the elderly in general, is risk of falling. According to the National Institutes of Health, over 1.6 million older Americans visit the ER each year due to fall-related injuries.
Having recently read a fantastic article by Gary LeBlanc, I thought it was a great time to revisit this important topic. Here are links to several articles offering tips to reduce fall risk. As Gary mentions, no matter what we do, accidents will happen; however, we can do everything in our power to make sure the odds are on our side!
LeBlanc: Risk of falling increases with dementia (12/26/13 – Hernandotoday.com)
What Steps Can You Take to Reduce Fall Risk? (6/12/13 – Caregivers.com)
Stepping On: Fall Prevention for Seniors (7/1/13 – Caregivers.com)
These articles have also been added to the Long and Winding Road Helpful Resources page for future reference.
Falls send millions of seniors to the hospital each year and are a leading cause of loss of independence. A program called Stepping On, originated in Australia and later brought to the U.S. by the University of Wisconsin, aims to prevent falls. The 7-week course taught by occupational therapists offers balance and strength exercises as well as discussion on various fall prevention strategies. For more, 