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Helping an Elderly Loved Prevent a Fall and/or Go Back Home After a Fall in the Orlando, Florida Area

Eric J. Einhart, Esquire wrote a very informative article in NAELA NEWS OCT/NOV/DEC 2022 titled “An Elder Law Attorney’s Role in Helping Clients After a Fall-Related Injury.” In the article, Einhart states that when an elderly person falls and injures themselves, their lives may be changed forever. Not only is a fall extremely frightening to an elderly person; it may completely alter their lives. According to the CDC, one in every four Americans aged 65 and older (senior) falls each year. These falls result in approximately 32,000 deaths annually. 

Risk of Injury

Falls among seniors can lead to serious injuries such as hip fractures and traumatic brain injuries, resulting in a need for rehabilitation and long-term care services. Despite the best efforts of rehabilitation, these fall-related injuries often result in reduced mobility, increased loss of independence, diminished quality of life, and in some cases, premature death. 

Falling Risk Factors

There are many factors that cause the elderly to fall. These factors include impaired vision, impaired hearing, delayed reflexes, muscle weakness, problems with balance and gait, and blood pressure that drops too much when getting up from lying down or sitting. Health conditions such as Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and arthritis can also affect balance, physical strength, joint integrity and cognitive function, all of which can contribute to falls. Other imminent causes for fall can include medication side effects and safety hazards in the house or community environment. 

Fall Prevention

The CDC gives guidelines for fall prevention. You can help your elderly loved one by making sure that their medications are reviewed by healthcare providers, that they exercise to improve balance and strength, that they routinely have eyes and feet checked by a physician, and that they take steps to make the home safer. 

What to Do After a Fall

There are pointers to tell them in case they do fall. First, they should not get up by themselves. This can cause further injury. If they are okay after the fall, they should roll on their side and then on their hands and knees. Tell them that they should go slowly. Tell them if they are hurt and cannot get up, they should ask someone for help or call 911. Tell them that if they are injured from a fall, they will end up in the hospital. After that, they will be released home with physical therapy or to a skilled nursing home facilitation to receive rehabilitation services. 

Making the Home Safe

If they fall and are hospitalized, you can make the elderly loved one’s home safe before they return home. You can set up to have a geriatric care manager and/or home health care providers in the home. Make sure they have their estate planning documents in place and up to date. These are just a few things to think about to help your elderly loved one be safer in their home and avoid a fall. 

If you have more questions regarding an Elder Law matter, you may call Ann Marie Giordano Gilden at Ann Marie Giordano Gilden, P.A. at 407-732-7620 and set an initial consultation. 

This article is for informational purposes only and does not form an attorney client privilege.