iAccompany – Your Ally with Fall Prevention
Among older adults, falls are the leading cause of injury. This fact is well-known and documented, and is a big concern for people with aging loved ones.
Unintentional injuries and hospital admissions are common following a fall, plus the continuous fear of falling can take a serious toll on the mental health of our aging loved ones.
As you get older, physical changes to your body occur that can make falling more likely. Some medications used to treat the conditions of aging are associated with drowsiness or slower reaction time – impairments that can lead to a fall. Many studies have shown that chronic illnesses typically result in an increased risk of falls as well.
Here are some stats to keep in mind:
- 20-30% of seniors experience one or more falls a year
- Falls are the most common cause of non-fatal injuries
- 85% of falls lead to hospitalization
- The average senior stays in the hospital 10 days longer for falls than any other injury
- The cost to the healthcare system to treat injuries from falling is over $2 billion per year
Common physical side effects are soft tissue injuries or minor fractures, such as a hip fracture, which can cause pain and functional challenges for your loved one. Brain injuries and broken arms are also common afflictions that arise from falling. Although some may see these as “minor” physical injuries, it is also worth noting the negative mental effects seniors may experience after a fall.
Falls often trigger a fear of falling in the future, causing our loved ones to limit their activity. This in-turn causes their bones and muscles to weaken and they choose to stay home and get less exercise as a result.
The loss in mobility causes them to feel a decrease in independence, become more anxious or depressed, and confused about what they can and can’t do. Being active keeps them healthy and strong, and reduces the risk of falling in the future.
At iAccompany, we believe in the importance of aging in place. It is essential to the quality of life, and independence of our elders that they have the option to stay in their house. Our service helps aging in place become a reality. It also brings peace of mind to their family members about the things they cannot do on their own anymore.
Our service provides a nursing professional to meet your loved one at their home. They accompany them to their doctor’s appointment, helping them walk to and from the building – which is especially important with the slippery conditions of Canadian winters!
Our qualified nursing professional sits in on the meeting between the doctor and your loved one, and asks any questions you might have. The nursing professional accompanies your loved one to any post appointment activities – lab work, prescription changes and the like. They then accompany them safely back to their residence, and send you a secure link with a full-report of what was discussed during the appointment.
Our goal is to help you and your aging loved one navigate the healthcare experience by offering accompaniment, asking the right questions of the doctor, and providing you all the details of the accompaniment.
Whether other life stresses constrain your ability to accompany your loved one, or you live a distance from your loved one, we can keep you and your aging loved ones connected.
Leave a Reply
Want to join the discussion?Feel free to contribute!