Even Dancing With the Stars contestants fall. More common dangers lurk around us every day. We fall getting out of a car, stepping off a curb, or over a speed bump in a parking lot. At the supermarket we trip on the welcome mat, slip on squished fruit in the produce department, or skid on spilled coffee beans in the bulk foods section. As we unlock our car, a barking dog startles us from an adjacent pickup. Our grocery bag splits as we climb our stairs and dumps our purchases.
Outdoors we risk stumbling in the garden, and falling on wet pavement, damp leaves, mud, black ice, and pine cones that roll underfoot. Treads of our athletic shoes collect debris which can make us skid. Pop them out with a nail file. Distractions like a sudden sneeze, answering a cell phone, or digging for keys in pockets or purse can send us sprawling. Standing on a chair to clean outdoor windows, or climbing a ladder to clean the gutters could result in a trip to the E.R.
We step on our own feet in “comfy” old shoes, worn slippers or trailing shoelaces. Straps of a purse or backpack left on the floor catch a heel as we walk past.
Large bathrobe cuffs and pockets catch on kitchen cabinet doors or chair backs, throwing us off balance and spilling our coffee. Dangling bathrobe belts, slippery pajama bottoms or too-long pants invite a stumble. Jacket sleeves snag on a stairway railing. A pet’s sudden move trips us.
Bathtub falls are notorious. “Walk-in tubs” are appealing, but if we can’t afford those we can take special precautions. We can’t trust even a skid proof tub or shower. One spilled squirt of shampoo or reaching for a dropped bar of soap could be hazardous. Install a grab bar; don’t trust the towel rack. Use a skid proof mat, tub stickum decals, or wear rubber flip-flops when showering. And GRAB that grab bar when getting in and out. When you travel, be sure to take along the flip-flops. Keep an extra pair stored in your carry-on luggage.
We’re not even safe in bed! Early morning leg cramps drove my husband out of bed, clutching at the bedpost, breaking a rib as he fell. Three friends have fallen out of bed at assisted living facilities. One owned a “personal alarm,” but didn’t wear it to bed, couldn’t reach it on her nightstand, and lay there until morning roll call. A friend in nursing home “rehab” following a knee replacement fell from her walker while attempting a bathroom visit by herself. Another friend had a stroke at home on her way to the bathroom and lay on the floor all night until her husband found her — he was too deaf to hear her call out.
I, my family and friends have experienced or observed every one of these potential falling dangers. There have been broken shoulders and collarbones, concussions, cuts, bruises, calls to 911 — and they all could have been avoided. Personal embarrassment over a fall does not compare to the pain and impairment that may last for decades.
What can we do? Be mindful Be aware. Be observant. Be sharp. Be alert. Be careful!
MORE INFORMATION:
Check out these Fall Prevention Tips from the Mayo Clinic:
Cut off the oversize bathrobe cuffs and long pajama bottoms. Loop the belt. Keep shoelaces tied. Pay attention while reaching for a stairway handrail. Paint a white strip on edges of outdoor steps, or add a strip of adhesive tape. Plug in small nightlights in every room. Keep a flashlight and phone beside the bed. If you have a “personal alarm,” wear it at all times. Mobile personal alarms are now available for security when you’re away from home.
Final Warning: “Never ride a bicycle while wearing sandals”
