Senior citizens in Mahoning Valley urged to take action to prevent falls

Staff report

NILES

Hand rails, shoes with slip-resistant soles, showers with a seat and plenty of handles to grasp, and a one-floor ranch-style home with the laundry room, furnace and bedrooms on the ground floor are among senior citizens’ best friends.

It would also be nice to have grandchildren or a friendly neighbor kid old enough to safely crawl up a step-ladder to clean out those pesky eaves.

And oh, a home with doors and hallways wide enough to accommodate walkers and wheelchairs, just in case.

The elephant in the room: falls.

“Falls are the leading cause of injury-related hospitalizations and death for people over 65,” said Lisa Solley, director of communications for the Area Agency on Aging 11.

“We want people to know that falls are not a normal part of aging and that they can be prevented,” said Solley.

“Prevention can start with people not being afraid of falling and empowering themselves through education, exercise health care and business participation and taking part in fall prevention programs through the Area Agency on Aging,” she said.

For example, during the holidays shopping malls and stores can get crowded.

“It is best for the elderly to take their time and avoid crowds, if possible, by shopping at off-peak hours, and bringing someone with them to wait in line if they need to sit down and rest. Older adults also are encouraged to ask store staff for help carrying heavy or bulky packages to their vehicle,” Solley said.

Read the full story Monday in The Vindicator and on Vindy.com.