The average falls for someone over the age of 65 is one per year! Falls can result is some major injuries that can change your life, and your independence. The following tips are some basics to introduce into your daily routine, and home to hopefully keep you as free from falls as possible:

Tip 1:     Wear Well-Fitting Footwear

Check that your footwear is in good condition, is a good fit for your feet and supports the whole foot. Avoid wearing loose, open footwear like thongs/sandals that may trip you up!

Tip 2:     Keep Active and Strong

Keeping active helps your body stay strong, fit, and maintains your balance. Introducing some extra strength exercises to your daily routine, like standing and sitting from a chair, squatting, or walking up and down stairs are a great means of keeping you strong in your home, without any expensive equipment.

Tip 3:     De-Clutter Your Home

A large majority of falls can be avoided by simply removing clutter from your home. Trips are a leading cause of falls for independent persons, who otherwise have great balance and keep active.

Tip 4:     Dizzy? Chat to your Physiotherapist/GP

Vestibular (Inner Ear) conditions can greatly affect your balance, and are commonly labelled as Vertigo. If you ever feel like the room is spinning, are nauseous, dizzy, or all the above you may have a Vestibular condition. Talking to a Physiotherapist and your GP can diagnose such conditions, and can work as a team to treat the cause/s.

Tip 5:     Ask for Help

There are a range of government subsided services available to persons over 65, in addition to private services available to persons of any age. This can greatly assist in accessing services that can prevent falls such as Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy, and Podiatry. Equipment such as mobility aids and assistive devices, or having modifications to your home like grab rails, and ramps completed. Talk to your friendly Allied Connect professional, who can direct you to the appropriate outlet for referral and assessment.

If you follow the above, you will hopefully avoid becoming a statistic and maintain your independence!