Falls among the elderly population are one of the most common reasons for hospitalizations. Falling can raise the risk for hip fractures, soft tissue wounds, and traumatic brain injuries. Because of this, it is essential that you take steps to help ensure that your senior loved one does not fall. Here are some tips geriatric care doctors in Miami Beach, FL, may recommend in order to help prevent falls among aging adults.
Eye Examination
As people age, they are more likely to develop vision problems. Age-related eye disorders such as cataracts, glaucoma, and macular degeneration can cause blurred, dim, double, or hazy vision, diminished peripheral vision, excessive glare, and an increase in floaters. Poor vision can dramatically increase your senior loved one’s risk for falls. Getting regular eye examinations can help preserve vision by treating problems before they progress.
Address Chronic Pain
Chronic pain can limit mobility, decrease range of motion, and cause leg weakness, which increase the risk for accidents or injuries. Geriatric care doctors in Miami Beach, FL, recommend that elderly people seek treatment for their chronic pain issues to reduce their risks for falling.
Pain management strategies include taking prescribed medications, weight management, physical therapy, and getting enough exercise. Types of pain that may raise the risk for falls may include pain associated with osteoarthritis, peripheral neuropathy, osteoporosis, the shingles virus, liver disease, joint replacement surgery, and kidney failure.
