Fall Prevention in Greensboro Through Able Care

Did you know that falling once doubles your chances of falling again?

As National Falls Prevention Month (September) comes to an end, we want to share some stats about falls, tips for prevention, and how we can help!

Older Adults and Falls

Falls are one of the leading causes for fatal and non-fatal injuries among older adults. This is due to several reasons, one of which is how often falls go unreported to PCPs, leading them to not recommend fall-specific exercises, home improvements, or medicines. Some other statistics around falls include:

• 1 in 4 Americans 65 years and older fall each year
• Falls are one of the leading causes of deaths and hospitalizations
• The cost of treating injuries caused by falls in older adults is projected to increase to over $100 billion by 2030
• Of those who do fall, over half need to receive care in a hospital
• The average cost per inpatient visit for falls is close to $20,000 and over $1,000 per emergency room visit

Risk Factors

Now that we know just how dangerous, and costly, falls can be, it’s important to understand factors that may lead to a fall. Please note that falls are rarely caused by just one factor, so do what you can to help mitigate your risk!

• Falling once doubles the risk of falling again
• Those with vision loss have nearly twice the risk
• People with hearing loss have nearly three times the risk, but wearing hearing aids helps reduce that
• Lower body weakness and difficulty walking
• Certain medications
• Chronic conditions such as diabetes and arthritis
• Home hazards such as cluttered walkways, poor lighting, and lack of supports like grab bars

Able Care and Fall Prevention

At Griswold, we believe prevention is one of the most meaningful forms of care. That is why we have integrated Able Assess to offer a quick strength screening–a simple way to understand mobility factors that can influence fall risk. Falls can change independence quickly. A brief screening can help identify areas to strengthen—so older adults can feel more confident moving through daily life.

Able Care and their Able Assess technology allow us to easily conduct a strength assessment of you or a loved one within a few short minutes. It uses one sensor to measure grip strength, balance, leg strength, and gait speed to assess risk of falling. By conducting the assessment, we can help reduce falls and decrease hospitalizations throughout Greensboro. After the assessment, the results provide a simple way to support prevention conversations and care planning.

Call Griswold Today!

Our Caregivers, and possibly in conjunction with our technology, are here to help. Whether you are a veteran receiving home care, in need of dementia support, recovering from surgery, or recovering from a fall. We offer care services that help with all of the above and more. If this sounds like something you’re interested in learning more about, please do not hesitate to reach out. For fall prevention our Caregivers can assist with placing night lights in hallways and other dark areas, adding non-slip mats in frequently used areas of the home, active range-of-motion exercise, and more.

If you need a short break, our respite care can help. If you need more attention, our care goes all the way up to 24-hour home care for those who need support throughout the day and night. We provide home care services throughout Greensboro and the surrounding areas. Give us a call today to learn more about how we can best help you.