We don’t want to scare you, but when it comes to falls, the statistics are alarming. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), one in four Americans age 65 or older experiences a fall each year. And, according to the National Council on Aging, an older adult is seen in an emergency department for a fall every 11 seconds. Given these stats, should you be considering a fall detection system?
Tips to Prevent Falling
The good news is that there are plenty of precautions you can take to avoid falling victim to a fall.
- Engage in a low impact exercise program like yoga, swimming or Pilates to help strengthen your balance, which is great protection against a fall.
- Stay on top of your ear and eye exams to help keep your senses sharp, which is crucial to catching yourself before and during a fall.
- Remove anything in your home that you might trip over, like wires and cables, to reduce your risk.
- Make sure your rooms and stairwells are well lit. Consider investing in a few night lights to keep around the house so you can see clearly during midnight trips to the bathroom.
- And if you find that you are often dizzy and prone to losing your balance, make an appointment with your doctor. Have your doctor check your blood pressure and review your medications, as some pharmaceuticals have side effects that can contribute to your risk of falling.
These are all great preventative measures to take. But falls can still happen despite your best efforts to prevent them. So, it’s worth checking out fall detection or fall alert systems too. These are medical monitoring systems that alert a crisis-trained emergency responder when a fall has taken place, so they can send help immediately. It’s just another layer of protection to make you feel safer and more secure in your own home.
How Fall Detection Works
All Medical Alert systems include an emergency button you can press any time you’ve fallen–whether you’ve suffered a serious injury or just want someone to be aware. The button is lightweight and waterproof, which means you can bring it everywhere, including in the shower or bath, where falls often occur.
But what if you experience a fall but cannot reach your button? Or you don’t want to risk further injury by fumbling around for it? Fall Detection uses an accelerometer inside your medical alert pendant. This senses a fall and connects you to a highly trained emergency response operator even if you can’t push your emergency button. Time is of the essence after a fall, which makes this is an invaluable feature.
We highly recommend a fall detection system, whether you’ve already fallen or just want to ensure you’re protected. Fall Detection is available as an add-on for all Medical Alert systems.
If you’re already a Medical Alert customer, adding fall detection to your package is just $10 a month. An investment in fall detection is an investment in your safety–and your peace of mind.