Seniors are nine times more likely to fall than those under the age of 65 and the incidence of falls increases with the aging population.
According to the Public Health Agency of Canada (2005) people over the age of 80, women, those who live on their own, individuals with low socio-economic status and those with post-secondary education are most likely to fall.
Many falls lead to secondary complications, such as a fracture or head injury, which then cause overall well-being to decline. Even those who are not injured upon falling may lose self-confidence and become fearful of falling in the future.
Unfortunately, falls are often under reported and the prevalence of this problem is likely higher than we know.
There are several risk factors that cause seniors to fall more than the rest of the population. These include individual factors such as poor balance, vision loss, inactivity, health conditions, and environmental factors such as poorly lit spaces, clutter and a lack of assistive devices (CDC, 2008).
Interestingly, a study from Simon Fraser University in British Columbia found that roughly 40% of falls result from throwing off the body’s centre of gravity by shifting weight improperly (CTV News, 2012).
This could happen when twisting the body, reaching to a high place, trying to avoid an object, moving from standing to sitting, etc. Half of these falls occur in seniors who live in long-term care facilities (CTV News, 2012).
There needs to be institutional changes such as automatic breaks on wheelchairs and more absorptive floors to prevent injury (CTV News, 2012), but until then, there are individual factors that can prevent you and your loved ones from falling.
We have all heard the term “use it or lose it” used to describe the loss of a skill or ability over time. To prevent falls, you have to use your body on a regular basis to maintain strength, agility and balance. Not only should seniors do this, but all of us.
Research has shown that inactivity may cause our bodies to break down at a faster rate (McKinnon, 2013). Over time our body composition changes, muscle tissue decreases and fatty tissue increases, which affects our ability to function in older age (McKinnon, 2013).
In order to maintain our muscular tissue, we must use it. There are several areas of physical training that are beneficial for seniors, the first is balance training. The muscles in the abdomen, back, hips and buttocks are essential for maintaining balance and should be incorporated into your muscular training (McKinnon, 2013).
Secondly, transferring from the floor to standing and vice versa may help to improve your ability to get up and down and prevent falls that result from transitioning between positions (McKinnon, 2013).
Another area of training that may be beneficial is multisensory, so exercising on different types of surfaces such as mats or wobble boards, and moving in different directions (McKinnon, 2013).
These exercises are very challenging; however, and you should be very cautious while performing them. Lastly, one should learn how to control their body weight (McKinnon, 2013).
Exercises should be similar to day to day movements so that the muscular strength acquired is functional in real world situations.
It is important that you consult your doctor before beginning any new physical activity regime, especially if you are over the age of 65 and/or have an underlying health concern.
For more information about senior-friendly exercise programs in your area, contact the Seniors Centre for Excellence through your local family health team. There are several fitness classes targeted to seniors of most ability levels in Drayton, Palmerston and Clifford.
For more information about the free services offered by the Minto-Mapleton Family Health Team, visit www.mmfht.ca or call the Drayton office at 519-638-2110 or Clifford office at 519-327-4777.
