INDUSTRY INSIGHT
PREVENTING FALLS, TRIPS AND SLIPS
SPONSORED CONTENT
Staying Active While
PREVENTING
FALLS
T
he risk of falling increases as a person ages, but falls,
slips and trips can be prevented. Taking action to
reduce the risk is the first step in staying healthy and
independent.
Asbury Heights, part of UPMC Senior Communities, offers a
variety of options including independent living, personal care,
memory support, skilled nursing and rehabilitative care. It
emphasizes the strengths of each resident and works with them
to identify areas needing attention to ensure their safety and
maximize their independence.
EXERCISE AND BALANCE
Falling or fear of falling can cause seniors to stay away from
activity, especially when it involves going somewhere unfamiliar.
However, inactivity can weaken legs. Additionally, staying in a
confined area can lead to feelings of isolation and depression.
The key is to keep moving. Exercise strengthens muscles,
develops agility and improves balance to prevent falls. Daily
balance exercises, like heel-toe walking or standing on one leg,
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are easy ways to enhance balance. Adding a cognitive element,
such as reciting the alphabet backward while standing on one
leg, can improve functional balance and allows active seniors
to work on completing daily tasks without focusing on their
balance issues.
Residents of Asbury Heights have access to a fitness center
24 hours a day. Complete with cardiovascular and strength-
training equipment designed for older adults, the fitness center
accommodates individual fitness and group programs, including
balance-specific classes.
REMOVING HAZARDS AT HOME
Each room at home should be kept free of fall hazards.
Extension cords should be hidden away and kept out of
pathways. Use skid-proof backing or tack carpeting firmly to the
floor.
Keep lights close to the bed so that there is no danger of
stumbling around in the dark. Grab bars in the bathtub and
a raised toilet seat with arm rails reduce falls associated with
everyday bathroom activity. Avoid rugs on the bathroom floor, as
they may slide and cause someone to fall.
Additionally, utensils and food that are most often used
should be kept in easy-to-reach cabinets that require minimal
reaching or crouching. Most traditional shelving units can be
converted to pull-out shelving in kitchen cupboards to make
access very easy. Using a “grabber” to safely reach items high and
low can also be helpful.
MEDICATION
Any senior on medication should be aware of the effect that
some drugs have on coordination or balance. Take the proper
dose and read labels. A team of board-certified and fellowship-
trained geriatricians in the Asbury Health & Wellness Center can
help residents determine if there’s a conflict with medications.
Learn more about Asbury Heights or arrange a tour from the
website at www.asburyheights.org or by calling 412.571.5387 or
emailing [email protected].
This Industry Insight was written by Erica Sorg,
Director of Rehab Services at Asbury Heights.
700 Bower Hill Road, Mt. Lebanon • asburyheights.org
Asbury Heights complies with applicable federal civil rights laws and does not
discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, or sex.
BETHEL PARK
❘
FALL 2018
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