Falls are the most common kinds of accidents at home: Every second of every day, an older adult falls. These falls can be dangerous, and may lead to serious or life-threatening injury.
But falls are dangerous for others, too. In fact, anyone who is recovering from injury or surgery, or who’s managing a chronic illness, may be more likely to fall.
That is why our rehabilitation therapy team has developed a special Fall Prevention Program. Individuals who are at high risk for falling are assigned an experienced physical therapist (PT). The PT uses proven methods to help these people increase strength and balance and reduce the risk of falls in the home.
“Our approach to preventing falls is to help each patient build back their strength and balance so they can continue to live independently and safely in their home.”
-Nishitkumar, PT, DPT
How does the program work?
Our program uses a four-step method to help reduce each person’s fall risk:
Assessment
At the first visit, your PT will look for fall risk factors. These factors include issues with the home, such as stairs, uneven surfaces, and lighting. Your PT will also check your balance, strength, vision, medications, and medical history.
Treatment Plan
Our goal is to help people to move safely within their homes. To achieve this, your PT uses insights from the assessment to create a plan just for you. This plan is designed to:
- Improve balance, gait (how you walk), and muscle strength
- Recommend changes to make the home safer
- Suggest shoes that increase safety and address foot problems
- Explain how to adapt to any vision problems
- Identify medications that could increase falls
Progress Tracking
The PT teaches you how to follow your plan and together you’ll set goals that are important to you. You then keep track of your progress in a log so you can see how far you’ve come.
Results
During your final visit, the PT measures your progress and updates your plan so you can maintain all that you’ve accomplished.
How do you know if you’re eligible?
You may qualify for the Fall Prevention Program if you:
- Have fallen at least once in the past year and/or have fall related injuries
- Are afraid of falling, especially if this fear keeps you from leaving the house
- Have medical conditions and/or vision problems that affect your balance
- Take medications that affect movement or balance
- Have muscle weakness and/or use a device like a walker or cane
Getting Started with the Fall Prevention Program
You need a referral to enroll in VNS Health’s Fall Prevention Program. To get started, talk to your primary care provider.
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