Fall Risk Awareness
Understanding and Preventing Fall Risks
Falls are a serious concern, particularly for older adults and people with neurological conditions. Understanding the risks and taking proactive measures can significantly reduce the likelihood of falls and the serious injuries that can result from them.
Common Causes of Falls
Falls occur for a variety of reasons. Common causes include:
- Environmental hazards such as slippery floors, uneven surfaces, and poor lighting.
- Medical conditions like dizziness, arthritis, low blood pressure, and poor vision.
- Medications that cause side effects such as dizziness or drowsiness.
- Muscle weakness and balance issues.
- Neurological conditions like peripheral neuropathy and underlying conditions that cause numbness in the feet
What Preventive Measures You Can Take
There are several steps that can be taken to prevent falls:
- Yearly Foot Checks: See Dr. Biesinger at least once a year for a fall risk assessment. This is important if you are experiencing falls, loss of balance, have peripheraly neuropathy, have loss of feeling in your feet no matter the cause, have weakness of the lower extremities, have problems walking.
- Home Safety: Ensure that your home is free of clutter, install grab bars in the bathroom, and use non-slip mats.
- Exercise: Engage in regular physical activity to strengthen muscles and improve balance. Resistance training is one of the most important measures you can do to help yourself in all aspects of your life as well as have the strength to "catch" yourself, build and maintain bone density as well as muscle strength. If you do fall, being able to get back up off the floor will depend on your strength.
- Regular Check-ups: Visit your healthcare provider regularly to monitor and manage health conditions.
- Medication Management: Review your medications with your healthcare provider to understand and mitigate side effects such as low blood pressure, loss of feeling in your feet, etc.
- Vision Care: Have regular eye exams and update eyeglasses as needed.
Medicare Coverage for Fall Risk
Medicare offers several benefits that can help reduce the risk of falls among older adults:
- Annual Wellness Visits: Medicare covers visits with Dr. Biesinger wherein he can assess your risk of falling and provide personalized advice.
- Home Health Services: If you qualify for home health services, Medicare may cover the cost of a health professional coming to your home to provide care, including physical therapy to improve strength and balance.
- Durable Medical Equipment (DME): Medicare Part B covers certain durable medical equipment that can help prevent falls, such as walkers, canes, and balance braces, if deemed medically necessary by a healthcare provider.
- Vision and Hearing Checks: While Medicare doesn't cover routine vision and hearing exams, it does cover exams if you have a medical condition that requires them, which can help in identifying issues that might contribute to falls.
Conclusion
Falls are a significant risk, but with the right precautions, they can be prevented. By understanding the risks, taking proactive measures, and leveraging Medicare benefits, individuals can maintain their independence and reduce their risk of injury. Dr. Biesinger is available to provide you with a thorough workup, assessment, and detailed recommendations for you balance and fall risk issues.