The Cost of an Elder Care Fall-How to Prevent One

As people grow old, loved ones start to become more sedentary and are unable to support themselves. Many of them get to the point where they can no longer walk without a crutch or the help of another person. Some are prone to falling and hurting themselves. In this article, we’ll talk about the costs associated with injury and how to prevent it.

Cost Of Injury

First, let’s look at the cost of an injury. A fall can be very dangerous for elderly people because they’re more prone to injuring their bones and joints which are already weak from age. To prevent falls in your loved ones, it may help if you install fall prevention equipment like motion detectors that alert them when someone falls. There are also hip shields to help soften falls and of course, walkers to help them move around. These kinds of devices are extremely helpful in preventing injuries caused by falls. If something does happen though, how much would it cost? We don’t have the exact statistics for falls but according to Medicare statistics, approximately $33.7 billion dollars is spent on medicare which is about 41.2% of the health funding in Australia.

Types of falls and injuries

Falls are broken down into two major categories: fractures which can happen in elderly people because they have weak bones, especially hip fractures, and other fracture types like breaks or sprains to less serious but still painful bone-related injuries. There are also different kinds of falls depending on where you fall from i.e.: ground level, higher than waist height, etc. The type of injury is important when it comes to cost as well since higher levels result in more damage done for example a fractured pelvis will be much more expensive compared with one that just has bruises or cuts on them.

How To Prevent Falls In Elderly

Tip#1: Exercise

If you want to prevent falls in your elderly loved ones, it may be a good idea for them to enroll in some kind of physical therapy program and do exercises and yoga. This is not only beneficial because they will become stronger but also stay flexible which reduces the risk of injury overall. Exercise is important because it strengthens your bones and muscles which will help prevent falls. This can be done both at home or in a facility depending on the severity of their health problems. For more tips on keeping your elderly family member healthy, check out this article.

Tip#2: Get a hospital bed

Hospital beds are extremely important for the elderly. They provide support and help protect them from severe injuries when they fall or get injured during their sleep which can happen very easily especially if you have weaker bones. There’s no real way to prevent this other than by getting a hospital bed that will not only hold up but also gives your loved ones enough room for movement without hurting themselves while making sure that they’re comfortable throughout the night.

Tip#3: Keep a home checkup

Keeping the house in good condition is very important to prevent falls. Make sure there are no loose rugs or wires laying around and make sure that they have easy access to the bathroom, kitchen, etc… It’s also extremely helpful if you can install railings around your house for them so even if they do fall it will be easier for them to get up again without injuring themselves further. If these kinds of precautions aren’t possible then you should talk with them about moving into an assisted-living facility where people will help keep their living space clean and free from any dangers which may lead to serious injuries like back pain caused by improper sleeping conditions.

Tip#4: Aged Care Facility

If you’re unable to help your loved ones at all, then the best thing for them might be an aged care facility where they can get proper supervision along with health services. It’s also great because if anything happens like a fall or injury, there will always be someone that can call 911 in case of emergency and go visit them after work too so they won’t feel as lonely throughout their stay. There are some examples of great facilities such as Kew Gardens Aged Care and others that aren’t quite as good. Generally, aged care can be expensive but it’s important that your loved ones stay safe and healthy.

Conclusion

Falls account for millions of dollars annually as we’ve seen above but it’s important to remember that elderly people can prevent falls through exercise, good sleeping habits, and having a well-maintained home. If these don’t work then an aged care facility might be the best option for them where they will get constant supervision from professionals who know how to handle injuries like falls or any other emergency situation which could occur while they’re living on their own at home with nobody else there to help them.

We should work on preventing these falls before they happen. This helps keep your loved one happy and healthy. It also helps reduce the tax burden on the health system.