Wednesday, September 22, 2021, is Falls Prevention Awareness Day as Designated by the National Council on Aging (NCOA).
As we welcome the first day of fall, we want to bring attention to the importance of fall prevention.
According to the CDC, more than 25% of adults over 65 experience a fall each year. Preventing a fall is important because fall-related injuries can be devastating for an older adult.
Falling doesn’t have to be a normal part of aging! There are many things that you can do to help prevent a fall.
- Schedule a one-on-one appointment with a physical therapist to assess your baseline balance and confidence in a safe environment. The therapist will develop a personalized exercise routine to improve your balance skills.
- Discuss your home layout with your therapist. MPT offers virtual and in-person home safety assessments! A home safety assessment is an evaluation of the home to improve the safety of the environment for the person/people living in the home. The home assessment looks for potential hazards in the home that could contribute to the risk of falls. Often there are easy, inexpensive changes that can be made to the environment to decrease the risk of injury or falls.
- Schedule annual eye exams. Having double or blurry vision or diagnoses such as cataracts and glaucoma may contribute to an increased risk of falls.
- Manage your medications with your primary care doctor and/or pharmacist. Some medications can cause dizziness or other symptoms that may lead to increased fall risk.
At Midtown Physical Therapy, we are passionate about improving the independence and safety of our patients and clients. Contact us below to learn more about how MPT can help you improve your balance and decrease your risk of falls.
Contact us below to schedule a one-on-one appointment with one of our therapists. The therapist will provide an individualized assessment to develop a customized treatment plan to help you attain your goals. We offer in-person visits at our clinics in Riverdale and the Upper West Side, concierge in-home sessions, and virtual visits over telehealth to cater to all of your needs.
