Preventing falls for older adults

It makes sense if you struggle to see, you might lose your way and take a fall. Well, now doctors are raising the red flag, saying with older adults, we need to do everything we can to make sure those falls don't happen. Many of us wear glasses or contacts. In fact, more than 25% of older adults in the U.S. have some form of vision impairment. But if it goes uncorrected, that can be serious. Researchers at University of Michigan found that older adults with untreated vision problems are at a higher risk of falls. And if someone takes a fall, that can be a major cause of hospitalization, even death. That's why an ophthalmologist who co-led this study says fall prevention should be a national priority health issue. Preventing falls is really of critical importance. We know that over a quarter of older adults in the United States fall annually. And falls are an important cause of both morbidity and mortality. Falls can lead to injury, increased hospitalization, loss of independence, and in their most extreme form, can even be fatal. Researchers found that adults with severe vision loss were three to four times more likely to fall when they lived somewhere with hazards such as missing grab bars in the bath or shower, tripping risks, or broken flooring. In addition to working on maintaining good balance and strength, decreasing medications, the doctor says keep the path clear in your house. So there are various obstacles and hazards in the home that can increase fall risk. Things like loose rugs, clutter, broken flooring, stairs, poor lighting, and not having grab bars in the shower or in the bathtub. All right, I hate to say it, but data from the Centers for disease control and prevention shows that dogs and cats cause an estimated about 87,000 fall related emergency room injuries every year in the U.S. So what do you do about that? Because you love your pets, right? Well, you keep the toys and the food bowls away from high traffic areas, train your dog to stay out of your way, and put a bell on your cat. That's HealthWorks. I'm Dina Santoponte.