WEBVTT 00:00:00.490 --> 00:00:03.569 Hello, everyone. Welcome to the Daily Senior 00:00:03.569 --> 00:00:07.110 Safety Advice Podcast. This podcast is all about 00:00:07.110 --> 00:00:09.769 helping older adults and family caregivers stay 00:00:09.769 --> 00:00:13.210 safe, independent, and confident at home. I'm 00:00:13.210 --> 00:00:15.929 Esther Cain, a retired occupational therapist, 00:00:16.410 --> 00:00:19.050 certified aging in place specialist, and a dementia 00:00:19.050 --> 00:00:22.329 care specialist. If you'd like more helpful tips, 00:00:22.449 --> 00:00:25.670 then be sure to visit our website at seniorsafetyadvice 00:00:25.670 --> 00:00:29.190 .com. Today we're going to talk about something 00:00:29.190 --> 00:00:33.030 that can feel scary but is very important. How 00:00:33.030 --> 00:00:36.969 to recover after a fall. A few months ago I was 00:00:36.969 --> 00:00:39.729 walking with a friend and I tripped over a sidewalk 00:00:39.729 --> 00:00:43.530 and fell right smack down. I will tell you that 00:00:43.530 --> 00:00:48.570 after that not only was my knee sore but I slowed 00:00:48.570 --> 00:00:51.549 down a little bit when taking the walks because 00:00:51.549 --> 00:00:55.109 I just was now scared of falling again. So that's 00:00:55.109 --> 00:00:58.009 what this podcast is about, addressing some of 00:00:58.009 --> 00:01:00.829 those issues. All right. So let's start with 00:01:00.829 --> 00:01:03.289 something that I've seen many times over the 00:01:03.289 --> 00:01:06.689 years. A fall can shake your confidence, as I 00:01:06.689 --> 00:01:09.530 said, sometimes even more than your body. You 00:01:09.530 --> 00:01:12.370 might feel sore. You certainly would probably 00:01:12.370 --> 00:01:15.670 feel embarrassed. And sometimes you might even 00:01:15.670 --> 00:01:18.870 feel afraid that it could happen again. And that 00:01:18.870 --> 00:01:21.530 fear can quietly change how you move, how you 00:01:21.530 --> 00:01:24.799 walk, and even how much you do each day. Now 00:01:24.799 --> 00:01:27.680 here's something important to understand. Recovering 00:01:27.680 --> 00:01:30.500 after a fall is not just about healing your body. 00:01:30.659 --> 00:01:34.000 It's also about rebuilding your confidence. And 00:01:34.000 --> 00:01:37.060 both really matter. So let's walk through this 00:01:37.060 --> 00:01:40.640 together, step by step. Okay, first, let's talk 00:01:40.640 --> 00:01:43.680 about what to do right after a fall. If you've 00:01:43.680 --> 00:01:46.819 already fallen, or if this happens in the future, 00:01:47.239 --> 00:01:50.359 the first thing to do is to pause, take a breath, 00:01:50.920 --> 00:01:53.480 stay still for a moment, and check your body. 00:01:53.769 --> 00:01:57.430 Ask yourself, do I feel pain anywhere? Did I 00:01:57.430 --> 00:02:01.209 hit my head? Can I move my arms and legs? If 00:02:01.209 --> 00:02:03.909 something feels wrong, especially your head, 00:02:04.090 --> 00:02:06.689 your hip or your back, it's important to get 00:02:06.689 --> 00:02:09.770 help right away. That's why I think it's so important 00:02:09.770 --> 00:02:13.560 for everyone. no matter really what age, to always 00:02:13.560 --> 00:02:15.919 carry some type of an alert device. It could 00:02:15.919 --> 00:02:19.919 be an InvisAware product. It could be a smartwatch 00:02:19.919 --> 00:02:22.139 product. It could be a cell phone, as long as 00:02:22.139 --> 00:02:24.020 the cell phone doesn't go flying out of your 00:02:24.020 --> 00:02:28.240 hand while you're falling. Anything at all that 00:02:28.240 --> 00:02:31.400 you can use to call for help. Another thing I 00:02:31.400 --> 00:02:34.060 always tell people is that even if you feel okay, 00:02:34.240 --> 00:02:36.500 it's still a good idea to let your doctor know 00:02:36.500 --> 00:02:39.479 about the fall because sometimes injuries don't 00:02:39.479 --> 00:02:42.650 show up right away. Now, let's talk about the 00:02:42.650 --> 00:02:45.330 next phase, the recovery phase, and this is where 00:02:45.330 --> 00:02:48.110 people often rush. Another thing I've noticed 00:02:48.110 --> 00:02:50.650 over the years is that many people try to bounce 00:02:50.650 --> 00:02:53.669 back too quickly. They think, oh no, I'm fine. 00:02:53.789 --> 00:02:56.770 I'll just get back to normal. But your body needs 00:02:56.770 --> 00:02:59.949 time. Even a small fall can affect your balance, 00:03:00.189 --> 00:03:03.349 your muscles, your confidence. So please give 00:03:03.349 --> 00:03:05.830 yourself permission to slow down. Start with 00:03:05.830 --> 00:03:08.729 a gentle movement. Short walks around the house, 00:03:09.069 --> 00:03:11.430 simple stretching, standing up and sitting down 00:03:11.430 --> 00:03:14.550 slowly and safely. These small movements help 00:03:14.550 --> 00:03:18.229 your body regain strength and coordination. And 00:03:18.229 --> 00:03:20.770 here's another thing that's very important. Avoid 00:03:20.770 --> 00:03:24.030 staying in bed or sitting all day. Too much rest 00:03:24.030 --> 00:03:27.310 can actually end up making you weaker. Okay, 00:03:27.389 --> 00:03:29.550 now here's something that you might find interesting. 00:03:29.960 --> 00:03:32.939 After a fall, many people start walking more 00:03:32.939 --> 00:03:36.020 carefully. I know I did after my fall, which 00:03:36.020 --> 00:03:38.939 sounds like a good thing, but sometimes they 00:03:38.939 --> 00:03:42.219 become too cautious. They shuffle, they take 00:03:42.219 --> 00:03:45.039 very small steps, they hold their breath, and 00:03:45.039 --> 00:03:47.659 this could actually increase the risk of another 00:03:47.659 --> 00:03:51.719 fall. So, focus on walking with purpose. Stand 00:03:51.719 --> 00:03:55.400 tall, take steady steps, and use support if you 00:03:55.400 --> 00:03:57.800 need it. Just be aware of the environment that 00:03:57.800 --> 00:04:02.800 you're walking on. All of this might mean using 00:04:02.800 --> 00:04:06.719 a cane, a walker, or holding onto sturdy surface, 00:04:06.759 --> 00:04:09.979 or even using walking sticks. My sister recently 00:04:09.979 --> 00:04:13.879 fell on a hike and her friends that she was walking 00:04:13.879 --> 00:04:17.620 with got her some walking sticks. So now she 00:04:17.620 --> 00:04:22.060 uses those every time she goes out on a walk. 00:04:22.600 --> 00:04:25.259 There is no shame in using support. In fact, 00:04:25.339 --> 00:04:27.600 it's one of the smartest things that you can 00:04:27.600 --> 00:04:30.699 do. Now, let's talk about your home environment 00:04:30.699 --> 00:04:34.040 because this is often where falls happen. After 00:04:34.040 --> 00:04:36.459 a fall, it's a great time to look around your 00:04:36.459 --> 00:04:40.040 home with fresh eyes. Ask yourself, what might 00:04:40.040 --> 00:04:42.920 have caused this? Was it poor lighting? Was it 00:04:42.920 --> 00:04:45.480 a loose rug? Did you trip over something? Was 00:04:45.480 --> 00:04:50.459 it a slippery bathroom floor? And fixing even 00:04:50.459 --> 00:04:54.040 one of those small hazards can make a big difference. 00:04:54.439 --> 00:04:57.980 Better lighting, non -slip mats, grab bars in 00:04:57.980 --> 00:05:01.079 the bathroom, clear walkways. If you have to 00:05:01.079 --> 00:05:05.459 step over things to continue walking, then that 00:05:05.459 --> 00:05:09.160 needs to be cleared away. These changes help 00:05:09.160 --> 00:05:12.519 protect you moving forward and help you stay 00:05:12.519 --> 00:05:16.879 independent longer in your home. Another thing 00:05:16.879 --> 00:05:20.240 I always share with my patients is that confidence 00:05:20.240 --> 00:05:23.519 comes from preparation. When your home feels 00:05:23.519 --> 00:05:26.699 safer, you naturally end up feeling more at ease. 00:05:27.519 --> 00:05:29.699 Alright, now let's talk about something that 00:05:29.699 --> 00:05:33.139 doesn't really get discussed often enough. The 00:05:33.139 --> 00:05:36.040 emotional side of falling. After a fall, it's 00:05:36.040 --> 00:05:39.160 very common to feel anxious. It's very normal. 00:05:39.360 --> 00:05:41.480 You might think, what if it happens again? What 00:05:41.480 --> 00:05:43.959 if I can't get up next time? What if my injuries 00:05:43.959 --> 00:05:47.399 are much worse? These thoughts are normal, but 00:05:47.399 --> 00:05:50.750 they can also hold you back. So here's a gentle 00:05:50.750 --> 00:05:53.689 approach that you can try. Acknowledge the fear, 00:05:53.949 --> 00:05:56.990 but don't let it take over. In other words, start 00:05:56.990 --> 00:06:00.490 small. Walk a short distance. Practice getting 00:06:00.490 --> 00:06:04.009 up safely with support. Sit and stand with control. 00:06:04.790 --> 00:06:07.810 Each small success builds your confidence again, 00:06:08.149 --> 00:06:10.970 day after day. And over time, that fear begins 00:06:10.970 --> 00:06:14.199 to fade. Another thing that I've seen many times 00:06:14.199 --> 00:06:16.959 with my patients is that people who recover best 00:06:16.959 --> 00:06:20.019 are the ones who stay connected. They talk to 00:06:20.019 --> 00:06:22.819 family, they ask for help when needed, and they 00:06:22.819 --> 00:06:25.819 don't try to do everything alone. Believe me, 00:06:25.839 --> 00:06:29.500 that is not weakness. It's being smart, being 00:06:29.500 --> 00:06:32.779 very smart. If you're a caregiver listening to 00:06:32.779 --> 00:06:36.560 this, your role is also important here. Encourage, 00:06:36.620 --> 00:06:40.420 but don't rush. Support, but don't take over 00:06:40.420 --> 00:06:43.500 completely. Let your loved one rebuild their 00:06:43.500 --> 00:06:47.279 independence step by step. Now, before we wrap 00:06:47.279 --> 00:06:51.279 up, I want to share one more thought. Falling 00:06:51.279 --> 00:06:56.120 or a fall is not a failure. It's actually information. 00:06:56.879 --> 00:06:59.720 It's telling you that something needs attention. 00:07:00.540 --> 00:07:03.480 Maybe it's your strength. Maybe you need to build 00:07:03.480 --> 00:07:06.019 that up. Maybe it's your balance. Maybe you need 00:07:06.019 --> 00:07:09.069 to work on your core balance. Maybe it's the 00:07:09.069 --> 00:07:11.970 home environment. Maybe you need to have an assessment 00:07:11.970 --> 00:07:15.110 done to make sure that the home environment is 00:07:15.110 --> 00:07:18.970 as safe for you as possible. All of these are 00:07:18.970 --> 00:07:21.709 something you can learn from to continue making 00:07:21.709 --> 00:07:24.910 yourself as independent as possible for as long 00:07:24.910 --> 00:07:28.949 as possible. But a fall also gives us a chance 00:07:28.949 --> 00:07:32.670 to make things safer moving forward. And that 00:07:32.670 --> 00:07:35.269 actually can lead to greater confidence than 00:07:35.269 --> 00:07:38.939 before. So if you've experienced a fall, be patient 00:07:38.939 --> 00:07:42.079 with yourself. Take it one step at a time and 00:07:42.079 --> 00:07:45.040 know that recovery is not just possible, it's 00:07:45.040 --> 00:07:47.800 something that you can actively build. I want 00:07:47.800 --> 00:07:50.579 to thank you so much for being here with me today. 00:07:51.079 --> 00:07:53.600 If you'd like more tips and resources to help 00:07:53.600 --> 00:07:56.920 you or your loved ones stay safe at home, please 00:07:56.920 --> 00:07:59.920 visit SeniorSafetyAdvice .com. And if you're 00:07:59.920 --> 00:08:02.339 looking for professionals who specialize in aging 00:08:02.339 --> 00:08:05.879 in place, you can find help at aginginplacedirectory 00:08:05.879 --> 00:08:10.259 .com. If you found this particular podcast helpful, 00:08:10.620 --> 00:08:13.279 please consider subscribing to the podcast or 00:08:13.279 --> 00:08:16.139 the YouTube channel. And of course, share it 00:08:16.139 --> 00:08:19.180 with your loved ones who you think might find 00:08:19.180 --> 00:08:22.379 it useful. So until next time, this is Esther 00:08:22.379 --> 00:08:25.639 wishing you safety, confidence, and peace at 00:08:25.639 --> 00:08:25.819 home.