The Fall Factor with Seniors

The older you get, the more likely it is that you will take a fall. In fact, in some research studies by the federal government, one in three adults age 65 and older fall in their homes or on slick conditions outside. When a senior adult fractures a bone, the majority of the time it is due to a fall. Fractures caused by falls take longer to heal, steals your independence and can lead to hospital stays. For some people, permanent disability can result.

Hip fractures are the most common and leading injuries due to falls. Osteoporosis often contributes to the problem as it causes loss of bone density and strength. Half of all seniors never recover enough to live back home independently. That is a shocking total! Many are afraid of falling and therefore curtail their activities. This is the very thing that you should not do! Exercise is one of the best things you can do for healthy bones; a proper diet is another.

Speak with the Doctor about Falling

If you are worried about falling, talk with your doctor about it. Between the two of you, you can create a game plan of things to do to try and avoid injury from a fall. First of all, the doctor might suggest you work with a physical therapist to learn some exercises to work on your balance, strength, endurance and agility. With better balance, your chances of falling decrease.

A certain medical condition or even the medication to treat it could cause balance problems which lead to falling. You and your doctor can evaluate your health and prescriptions to determine if either of them could contribute to you falling. High blood pressure and the medications for it are common factors that contribute to falls.

Your vision becomes affected as you age; so does your sense of balance as well as your blood pressure. Have your eyes checked regularly and when you have to get up from a bed or a chair, move slowly. This will keep you from losing your equilibrium and avoid a "spinning" room.

Precautions to Take to Prevent Falling

In addition to speaking with your doctor about your falling fear, there are other things that you can do to keep from falling. First of all, check your home for safety hazards like stacks of newspapers or magazines that could fall and trip you at any moment. Carpets without rug grips are not safe to walk on nor are tile flooring when it is wet. Keep electrical cords out of sight as they could trip you causing you to fall.

Do not feel ashamed of buying physical aids that will help you keep from falling. For instance, a cane or even a rolling walker can keep you upright and mobile. Install a bar in the bathtub and shower area and perhaps even a bench. Handrails for steps are handy for seniors too. Install brighter lighting so that you can see where you are going as well as potential obstacles.

All in all, prevention is the best cure for that fear of falling. If you adopt a healthy lifestyle and practice sensible fall precautions, you should hopefully get through your golden years without fracturing anything.

Depression Symptoms in the Elderly Population

Depression is a disease that affects they young and the elderly. It manifests itself in similar ways in both of these ages groups but different in some very important ways for those who are elderly. These differences can contribute to the fact that 35 million elderly are suffering from depression with as many as 70% of them suffering unnoticed chose to end their lives even though they saw a medical doctor within 30 days of having done so. How many other people came into contact with them during those 30 days and their depression escaped their attention too? Understanding how depression differs in the elderly can make recognizing it much easier.

One major drawback to knowing someone is depressed is when that person does not communicate that they are sad. Elderly individuals who have difficulty communicating are even more unlikely to give direct clues to those around them. Depression symptoms can take many forms including physical, psychological and emotional.

The elderly person suffering from depression may physically look different from the usual appearance. The clothes they wear may be dirty, slept in, or worn several times. They may not shower or bathe as often as they should. They may not see the need to wash their hair or do other personal hygiene such as that which is necessary to control body odor. Their disinterest in food may show up in a noticeable body weight loss as clothes become loose. They may experience medical or dental problems from not keeping appointments or because they do not take medications or follow proper dental care procedures.

Psychologically they may be confused, become more irritable than usual, have delusions or hallucinations or show signs of severe sadness. Individuals in the over 65-age group rarely admit to being sad, at least not to others. They may however give clues that they are extremely sad when they complain of persistent aches and pains or other ailments so that they seek frequent attention or help form others. Sometimes their behavior can seem on the demanding side of what would seem normal.

Emotional signs of depression express as feelings of anger, crying for extended periods of time and other expressions of Normal grief is understandable in those of advanced age as so many of their peers are dying or have retired and moving away. Adult children may have also moved away leaving them feeling isolated and alone in a life that seems totally changed and foreign. These lifestyle changes usually create emotional signs of depression.

Recognizing and interpreting these signs and symptoms of depression in the elderly individual may take a trained eye and ear. Listening to what someone who is elderly is saying or not saying can be very important when it comes to understanding depression. Depression will not usually go away on its own and will worsen with time. Clinical depression can last for months. When the elderly suffer from untreated depression the immune system can be affected making them much more susceptible to contacting other diseases.

Although we have discussed physical, psychological and emotional signs of depression there are also biological factors that some scientists suspect may also play a role in elderly depression. They think that there is a biological pattern to those who suffer from clinical depression. Depression often times will be seen in parents, siblings or past family members. Those individuals who have a past history of depression will often have a reoccurrence of depression in later life.