More than a third of people age 65 and older fall every year. For those 85 and beyond, the odds are four to five times worse. Falls are the leading cause of accidental death in older adults, surpassing vehicle crashes. All it takes is a single fall for an older person to lose his or her home.
Home visits are the latest sign that local governments, insurers and health care providers, are preparing for a vast demographic shift toward a grayer America.
Helen Sellevaag knows her next fall could be fatal. At 97, she also understands her chances of falling have increased as she has gotten older, and the slightest misstep could lead to a life-threatening injury.
So Sellevaag listened carefully during a recent visit from a social worker. Then, with the help of a walker, Sellevaag took a room-by-room tour of her home in Annandale, Va., to see for herself the possible dangers posed by ordinary objects. Throw rugs. Low-watt light bulbs. Electrical cords on the floor. Medications.
Jennifer Edge, a social worker, lifted each rug in the kitchen to see whether it had an anti-skid bottom. She flicked switches and discussed handrails. She cataloged Sellevaag’s medicines and vitamins – 24 in all – while explaining that taking four drugs or more affects your sense of balance.
Although her focus is mostly on preventing falls and fires, Edge also gets down to the nitty-gritty of her clients’ daily routines, suggesting devices to make life easier: tableware with special handles that make it easier to grip, telephones with amplifiers and captioning screens, and portable food warmers that allow people to take their time eating without having to get up and reheat their food.
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, but it sat in a box for over 4 months because I was scared of the setup.
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