Home Safe Home
Courtney Carter
/ Categories: WELLNESS, 2024

Home Safe Home

Tips for reducing fall risk

Even though falls are the leading cause of fatal and nonfatal injuries for older Americans, falling is not an inevitable part of aging. In fact, there are proven ways to reduce and prevent falls. Given that more than 50% of all falls occur in the home, the best place to start looking for ways to reduce your risk is inside your own front door.

The good news is this: making your home safe doesn’t require a lot of work or dramatic modifications. Here are five quick modifications you can make on your own:

  1. Secure some support: Buy a shower seat, grab bar, and adjustable-height handheld shower head to make bathing easier and safer.

  2. Light it up: Replace burnt-out bulbs with bright, non-glare lightbulbs. Add lighting to the top and bottom of stairs, pantries, closets, in large cabinets, and other areas where you struggle to see.

  3. Have a seat: Place a sturdy chair in your bedroom so you can sit while getting dressed.

  4. Clear the way: Keep items off the stairs and remove tripping hazards such as clutter and throw rugs.

  5. Store for success: Store frequently used items between your waist and shoulder height where you can access them without having to reach or bend.

  6. Watch out for your pet:  Sometimes our “best friend” may be our biggest risk. Know where your cat, dog, or other pet is to avoid trip and fall hazards. Of note, pet fish are not tripping hazards!

 

Do you know your risk?

The National Council on Aging offers a free, online falls check-up designed to help you stay healthy, safe and independent. Click here to take the 13-question check-up.

 

But there’s more to avoiding falls than making changes to your home. Here’s a look at other steps you can take to reduce your risk.

Wear your hearing aids: People with hearing loss are nearly three times as likely to fall compared to those with normal hearing, but wearing a hearing aid reduces the risk of falling by 50%.

Wear sensible shoes: Loose-fitting shoes as well as those with high heels, narrow heels, and those without laces, straps, or buckles are linked to an increased risk of falling. To be safe, choose footwear with low heels and firm slip-resistant soles.

Build balance and strength: Doing strength and balance activities at least three times a week can reduce your risk of falling. If you belong to a gym, ask an employee to help you create a workout routine. Or, you can find exercises online that you can do at home for free.

Avoid using your furniture for walking support:  If your balance is not steady, the best support for walking and moving about your home is with a cane or walker and not moving from varied pieces of furniture. 

Don’t skip annual medical appointments: Hearing, eye, and regular check-ups are essential for staying safe from falls as you age. Instead of making excuses, make the appointments.

 

Did You Know?

Falling once doubles your risk of falling again.

 

Pamela Duchene, PhD, APRN-BC is the Vice President of Patient Care Services and Chief Nursing Officer at Southwestern Vermont Medical Center.

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COVID-19 Scams

Scams are almost as old as time. They always take advantage of our vulnerabilities and fears. So in times of mass panic, like has been caused by COVID-19, opportunities for scammers increase, said Southwestern Vermont Health Care's Information Technology Security Engineer Geoffrey Mazanec.

IT experts noted a 667 percent increase in malicious phishing e-mails as of the end of last month. Security firm Barracuda Networks identified 137 coronavirus-related phishing emails in January, 1,188 in February, and more than 9,000 in March. 

There are most likely several reasons for the increase.

  • First, many scams exploit our fears. As fear increases, so to opportunities for scammers. Many scams have been tweaked to include a reference to COVID-19, which may cause people to react more quickly and without thinking.
  • Scammers also exploit our desires to be good people—to pay our bills on time and follow directions—which could also be heightened during a crisis.
  • During COVID-19, everyone is conducting more business remotely. In the effort to keep all of our online activities straight, we may lose track of who is on the other end of the phone line or e-mail.
  • Mazanec notes that, with so many people out of work, scammers may have taken what had been a part-time swindling gig full time.

These startling statistics and our increased vulnerability make it a great time for a refresher about how scammers attack and how to avoid getting caught in a scheme.

Phishing. The most common way scammers operate is by phishing. They call or e-mail, usually posing to be a company or organization that you trust: the IRS, Medicare or Medicaid, or a company that you have done business with before. And they are crafty. They can even make it look as if they are calling from a business you recognize. They are counting on your thinking that they are the real thing.

"Lots of people, looking for protective equipment, for instance, are purchasing from companies that they have not dealt with in the past," Mazanec said. "Scammers want you to believe that you have purchased from them, when you have not."

They might send you an "invoice due" message with a .pdf attachment, or they might provide a link for you to click and log in. They want you to do one of two things: (1) Give up your personal information, either over the phone or by logging in to a fake sign-in page or (2) click on a .pdf or website that will infect your system.

So what can you do? Mazanec recommends not clicking. "If you don’t recognize it, don't open it. Instead, always question whether it is legitimate. And, no matter who it is, don't give anyone usernames or passwords."

Disconnect the call or delete the e-mail and call the company directly. If you don't have their number on hand, you can find it using a Google search. If you ask them whether they just called or e-mailed you, you will likely find that they have not. Congratulations. You’ve just avoided a scam.

Too good to be true. Some scammers are also selling fake products. For instance, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently issued warnings to seven companies selling fraudulent products that claim to test for, prevent, or treat COVID-19. Some even claimed to be approved by the FDA! Other companies are taking personal information in exchange for being added to a fake list for early access to the COVID-19 vaccine.

There is no valid at-home test for COVID-19 and no viable at-home treatments, unless you count rest and plenty of fluids for mild cases. Consult with your local healthcare provider before taking any testing or treatment action, as some can be harmful or even deadly.

To avoid scams like this one, read, watch, and listen to reputable news sources. If there is a legitimate at-home test, treatment, or vaccine, you will hear reports about it from your state's department of health and other official organizations.

More information about scams related to COVID-19 can be found at https://www.cdc.gov/media/phishing.html and https://www.ftc.gov/coronavirus/scams-consumer-advice.

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