Narrator: You have to admit, there s something funny about watching people fall down. When these characters do it, it makes us laugh.

Transcription

1 No More Falls transcript Narrator: You have to admit, there s something funny about watching people fall down. When these characters do it, it makes us laugh. But with real live, falls are serious, very serious. Hello, I d Dr. John Scott, and I practice geriatric medicine with Kaiser Permanente. Every day with my older patients, I see, again and again, the painful and expensive results of falls. A fall changes your life in an instant. Our job at Kaiser focuses on the prevention of falls, and the rehabilitation after a fall. It s a process that can take months, and you may never have the same quality of life again. One of the many culprits is simply the again process. It changes out mobility, balance and vision. For some people, certain medications have an impact to discuss these issues and these medications with your doctor or therapist. You know, most falls are preventable. It requires you to make some easy, common sense changes in how you approach the business of everyday life. We want to suggest some safer ways to meet those everyday needs. (He turns to another camera angle) In this tape, my friend Betty (Betty says hi ) and Bob (Bob says hello ) are going to show you some common causes of falls, in regular, everyday situations. You can probably relate to them in your own life. Here s the list. The main causes of falls are: * Losing your balance * What we call Getting around * And Clutter Dr. Scott: After we explain the causes we ll follow with a few solutions that we know of, and I bet you can brainstorm even more solutions. So lets make a deal No More Falls! Narrator vo the opening sequences. The voices would go in just after reading the title: Narr: It s a fact of life that as we age, our sense of balance changes. Narr: Hi, I m Chet Martin, and at Kaiser Permanente, we re concerned about preventing falls. Here s a sobering static. About 10 million adults over the age 65 will fall this year. And the main cause? Simply losing their balance. Take a look. Narr VO: Narr: For all of her life, Betty has had no problem walking and carrying an armful of items at the same time. But he equilibrium is not as good as it once was (Pause) (Start narration when the video freezes, showing the fall begin.) And this situation is now dangerous for her. Indeed, the act of Carrying too much can upset your balance and cause a fall.

2 Narr VO: So can Reaching. Bob has reached for his towel the same way from the same place for years. How is he suppose to know that on this day he ll lose his balance while reaching, slip. And wind up falling. Narr VO: Lately, Betty s had more trouble with her vision. She sometimes misjudges how close she is to a piece of furniture. Bob sometimes finds id he gets up too quickly, ha has a sudden dizzy spell. It s more of a problem when he is tired or fatigued. The three-part solution for all these balance-related problem: anticipate the, plan for them, and change you approach. (2 nd cut) the three-part solution for all these balanced-related problem: anticipate them, plan for them, and change you approach. This would be a good time for your group to stop the tape and brainstorm among yourselves how you would approach these situations. (Fall screen graphic: stop the tape) Narrator on cam first: As we show you these suggestions, keep this point in mind. Know your own abilities and limitations, because everybody is different. What works for one person might not be the right solution of you. Narr OV: When carrying groceries or other bulky items, take only what you can safely carry. Make multiple trips if necessary. And, have a small table or shelf inside you entryway. It makes your task more manageable. Some other ideas Break up the load into smaller bundles. Ask for help. And, make more than one trip. Narr OV: For reaching, especially in the slippery bathroom, avoid standing when reaching. Use a bath chair in the tub. Falls also occurs when reaching for items beyond your grasp, especially when your balance in unsteady. Install sturdy grab bars near the tub and toilet. Where you know your balance will be compromised. Other ideas: *Make your motto, Easy Reach. Put commonly used objects within easy reach. *Use a sturdy footstool *And ask for help with objects that are too high.

3 If, like many of us, you find your vision less trustworthy, learn to study again the furniture and objects around you, even if you ve looked at them or years. Other Visual Cuing Tips: Use you hand to touch and orient yourself. Make contact with you furniture to assure yourself where things are. And, drape furniture in contrasting colors with the floor or carpet. It s a surprisingly helpful tip! Narr VO: Older people often say, I can t get around like I use to (Narr on cam finishes sentence) Narr: and for a good reason. Our reaction time, our joint movement and out strength all changes as we age. Here are glimpses at how hard it becomes to get around, both inside and out. Narr VO: rough terrain underfoot can certainly trip you up Especially something like this uneven concrete. Our favorite places, like the garden, can be somewhat uneven underfoot. You d be surprised how many people fall walking in the grass or performing simple outside activities. Poor lighting can turn a hall or entryway into a cave And the lovely linoleum or tile floor can suddenly seem like and ice rink-especially when it s wet. Sometimes people fall when trying to get up from a low chair or a toilet. Unfortunately, gravity is working against you. Many well-meaning children give grandma a nice rocker but it offers no stability if she looses her balance and grabs it. Getting around is harder at certain times of day. Evenings are difficult, when people are fatigued and don t see us well. What you have just seen are a few situations that have you getting up, down, and around. Stop the tape now, and talk about what you think might be good solutions. What you have just seen are a few situations that have you getting up, down and around. Not lets take a look at some solutions. (Full screen graphic: Stop Tape)

4 Narr VO: Here are some suggestions that reduce the risk of getting around: *For rough terrain, use you cane, even if you don t need it always. And if you can have an arm to hold on to. If you fine it s harder to get around you garden, use a chair when you re weeding. Install automatic sprinklers and consider raising toe beds so you don t have to stoop as much. Also, b e deliberate about picking up your feet, especially in the grass. Install soft or frosted lights in the halls on a dimmer switch and leave them on all the time. You ll appreciate the improved visibility. Improve your traction on indoor and outdoor surfaces with low-heeled rubber soled shoes. And of course, remove those scatter rugs. Put self-adhesive strips on steps for improved traction. The solution for those low chairs or toilet seats simple. For chairs. Try adding a thick seat cushion. Special elevated toilet seats and grab bars near the toilet make the bathroom safer. Speaking of chairs, remember that hard-to-get-out-of rocker? Place in on a raised platform, with a secure edging. It s much easier to stand, when you re sitting up higher. One answer for evening falls: take care of your bedtime hygiene early before you re too tired, than sit down to watch T.V. or read. Narr: Has clutter turned you home sweet home into an obstacle course? Narr: If your home is like most people, there are potential hazards in every room, hazards witch can literally trip you up. See if you can related to these settings. Narr VO: *That unanchored run in the kitchen or bath *Electric or telephone cords in your path *A pet s toy *A pile of newspaper or mail left next to a favorite chair *An item of clothing left on the floor *And weather you re a Bob or Betty and workroom probably had a small pieces that can easily be overlooked, but which can cause a fall if you step wrong. (Narrator on camera, then VO the rest) Clutter requires discipline to manage it everyday so you don t fall over the stuff on the floor. All kinds of cords care a potential hazard. When possible, her retractable cords. And always keep them away from doorways and traffic areas.

5 (VO) Those rugs? Simply get rid of them. Have a pet toy basket, and check it a couple of times a day to see what s missing. Then look for that item and put it away. Keep your newspapers and mail off of the floor, in one place, and recycle them weekly. For clothing, pick it up before you go to bed each might. Use a reach extender to help avoid stooping. And for your workroom, be diligent about sweeping up after projects and keep the room organized. Narr on camera: We ve shown you many circumstances that can lead to falling down. The first cause losing balance. It can happen when you carry too much, or dont recognize how to strength changes as we age. Some of the answers are to plan ahead take smaller loads, and rearrange you home to make every room free of obstacles. The second cause getting around. Simple solutions like improving the lighting in your hallways or wearing the right shoes can make all the differences. And the third cause clutter. It s all around you, so be diligent about keeping you primary walk areas open and accessible. These are just a few common sense tips. We hope some of them prove helpful to you, because Kaiser Permanente wants you to feel safe and secure in your own home. Once again, here s Dr. Scott. (Dr. Scott To Camera) We hope this inspires you to look for situations in you life, which could cause you to fall. And then re-think you habits, your behavior, and more important, you attitude about making your change. Out goal is to make your home environment easier to use, easier to get around and safer, so you can live in it independently as long as possible. Remember, virtually every fall is preventable. I'm Dr. John Scott, thank for watching. END