in our 8 o'clock hour. >>> eve tannery: The numbers are staggering. They show that every 13 seconds an older adult is rushed to an emergency department in the us because of a fall. >> melanie falcon: As WFMZs Nancy Werteen tells us, the medical community is trying to help make sure seniors stay safe. >>Nancy: Doctors say so many seniors are falling that its now the leading cause of accidental death among older patients and Its only getting worse. So there is a growing effort locally and nationally to bring those numbers down by helping patients figure out why they fall and how they can keep from falling in the future. >>nat sound: (Sherry walking down hallway) :02 >>nancy: it wasnt long ago that even a simple trip to the store was too dangerous for sherry martin. like a growing number of older americans, sherry was falling.her apartment manager responded to 53 falls just last year.:12 >>Sherry Martin Fell frequently Each time i started out walking, i said to myself Is this the time i become a paraplegic? Is this the time i break a bone? >>nancy: and sherry is not alone.the number of older americans treated for falls in the last decade has nearly doubled.1,3 and fatal falls are at an all time high.:08 / :28 >> Dr.Joe Rosenthal Ohio States Wexner Medical Center The rate of fatal falls has increased over 150%. And the reality is that most of these falls, if not all of them, can be prevented. >>nancy: which is why doctors everywhere are doing their best to focus on fall prevention. they say there are a lot of reasons patients fall.it could be their vision or medication, frailty, or even conditions like diabetes and low blood pressure. which is why many patients who fall dont just see a doctor, but a team of specialists who try to figure out how to help them get out of the dangerous situation they're in. :22 / 1:02 >> ReNea Owens, Physical Therapist They do a vision exam, we have them do a cognitive exam.We look at their flexibility, their strength and their balance. :08 / >>nancy: and once a patient knows why theyre falling, they undergo specific therapy to help them stop. but thats only part of the evaluation.:07 / 1:17 >> Dr.Rosenthal: Some of the falls, people dont even realize is because of their home environment.They get used to their home environment, so they dont see it as cluttered. :07/ >>nancy: a home inspection helped sherry replace clutter with exercise gear and fear with confidence.:06 / 1:30 >>Sherry: The anxiety is gone. The confidence is back. It has made my life exceedingly easier. --- --- >>Nancy: If you have an older loved one, experts say visit them in their home and look for things like loose rugs, clutter on the floor or slick surfaces. And if they have fallen even once in the last year, its a good idea to have them evaluated by a specialist. Nancy
from 69News:Home http://www.wfmz.com/news/sunrise/life-lessons-dramatic-rise-in-falls/30453722
0 commentaires:
Enregistrer un commentaire