Staying Active Can Prevent Slip and Fall Incidents Among the Elderly

As people get older, they tend to move around more slowly than they used to. For instance, your grandparents might walk less strenuously during exercise or may even stop exercising because they know they can’t move at the speed they once used to. But if you are an older adult and considering staying stagnant in your older age, read this first!

According to the Mayo Clinic, being active at an older age, but in a way that reflects childhood play, may be the best way to prevent serious slip and fall injuries from occurring. This type of activity is referred to as play therapy. This form of therapy is typically used for children to help them express, learn and communicate with the environment and with people. However, play therapy has been proven to be an effective therapeutic technique for elderly people of all ages.

The constant movement associated with play therapy incorporates many different activities to keep older adults healthy and in better shape to combat slip and fall injuries. Some of the most effective activities include hanging, jumping, crawling, jogging, and running. Doing these activities may help an older person to relearn certain movements they have forgotten over time, helping their body to be better prepared for a slip and fall accident.

Slip and Incidents Among the Elderly

According to the National Council of Aging (NCOA), fall injuries are the leading cause of fatal and non-fatal injuries for older Americans. Even though falling isn’t a direct correlation of aging, it plays a large roll in the incidents that occur. Implementing some of the techniques associated with play therapy may cut down on these incidents from occurring.

Being active as an older adult may lessen some of these alarming statistics from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:

• One in four adults 65 and older falls each year
• Every 11 seconds, an older adult goes to an emergency room for a fall-related injury
• Every 19 minutes, an older adult dies from a fall-related injury
• The financial toll for falls experienced by older adults is expected to increase as the population ages and may reach $67.7 billion by 2020

Causes for Elderly Slip and Falls

While the elderly may fall for numerous reasons pertaining to their health, such as dizziness or medication side effects, other reasons exist that are specific to slipping and falling – especially age, balance, and reaction time.

Common slip and fall injuries that occur among the elderly occur because of an improper shifting of bodyweight. This improper movement is caused by the center of gravity changing in a way it shouldn’t, causing the person to tumble over. The younger you are, you may be able to catch your balance. Unfortunately, the ability to catch yourself falling over decreases as you age.

Injured? Contact Attorney Carbone

If you are an older adult in New Jersey who is the victim of a slip and fall injury, you may have the right to collect compensation for your injuries. By contacting the Law Offices of Anthony Carbone today, you will have someone on your side at all times. The consultation is free and confidential.