Monday, Jul. 14, 2008

Group seeking to reduce injuries

Falling is a common problem among seniors, and it's getting more attention in Stanislaus County from a coalition tasked with preventing the injuries.

It's estimated that one in three people age 65 and older has an accidental fall each year, and 20 percent to 30 percent of the time it results in moderate to severe injuries, including broken bones and head injuries.

From January to this month, the Stanislaus County coroner documented 24 deaths caused by falls among people 66 to 99. They included a 73-year-old man who died after falling in his garage and an 83-year-old woman who lost her balance while stomping a bug.

In 2007, the coroner's office attributed 91 deaths to accidental falls, which was close to the number of motor vehicle fatalities.

Not all deaths related to falls are tallied. The coroner's office doesn't always hear about people who are injured in a fall and then die in a convalescent hospital two months later.

"These incidents are all over the board," said Deputy Coroner Stephen Wright, who gathered the statistics. "They trip on a rug at home. They fall in hospitals. They trip on the curb when walking up to the store."

For those who suffer head trauma, a common cause of death is a subdural hemorrhage, or bleeding between the skull and brain. In other cases, the older person has heart disease or other medical conditions, and the fall injuries are too much to endure, Wright said.

The Senior Fall Prevention Coalition of Stanislaus County is working on a plan to reduce the number of injuries. The group includes the county Area Agency on Aging, the nonprofit Healthy Aging Association and representatives of health care, social serv-ices agencies, community groups and the building industry.

A $25,000 grant from the Archstone Foundation is paying for the planning. The agencies will rely on grants to expand strength-training classes and other prevention efforts.

Issue not always taken seriously

Jill Erickson, a manager with county Aging and Veterans Services, said seniors don't always take the issue seriously unless a fall puts them in the hospital. But they should. A previous fall is a strong indicator the person will fall again.

"I think a lot of people try to hide the fact that they fell," she said. "They are afraid it means they are not able to live independently. If you fall, it should be a wake-up call."

A host of age-related issues make older adults susceptible to falling. Their leg muscles grow weaker with age and their sense of balance starts to wane.

Sudden changes in blood pressure, when going from a sitting to standing position, can make them feel faint. Some seniors have inner ear problems or take multiple medications that can make them dizzy.

Those with cataracts or glau-coma have poor vision in the dark, putting them at risk of tripping while going to the bathroom at night.

Diabetics can lose sensation in their legs and feet or become light-headed from skipping a meal.

While falling often is no big deal for a child or younger adult, elderly people might have brittle bones and are not as good at cushioning themselves.

"They lose their ability to sense when they are leaning backward or shifting their weight," said Joe Fantazia, a physical therapist at Memorial Medical Center who works with fall victims. "By the time they react, they have gone too far to correct themselves."

Seniors who have fallen should see their doctor immediately to review their medication and determine whether a health problem was the underlying cause, Erickson said. Some are recommended for eye examinations or a specialist to check for inner ear problems.