Fall prevention is important — try these simple ways to stay safe

Each year millions of adults fall, and many get injured as a result. More than eight million people need medical attention and each year, almost 319,000 people are hospitalized for a hip fracture according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

If you have fallen, talk with your primary care provider and create a plan for preventing falls. More than one out of four older people fall each year, but half don't tell their doctor, according to the CDC.

Prevent falls at any age

While falls happen any time of the year, they might happen more often during the fall and winter because:

• Wet or cold weather makes pavement slippery.
• People climb on ladders to clean gutters, prune trees or hang holiday lights.
• Shorter days means it gets dark sooner for longer, which makes it easy to trip.
• Colder weather reduces outdoor activity and this decrease in activity weakens muscles and increases chance of falls. Most falls occur in and around the house.

Steps to prevent falls

Here are some steps you can take to prevent falls:

• Ask your pharmacist or healthcare provider to review your prescriptions and over-the-counter medications. You’ll want to be sure they don’t make you drowsy or dizzy, which can increase your risk of falling.
• Have your eyes checked at least once a year. You might need to update your glasses prescription or be treated for conditions such as glaucoma or cataracts. Poor eyesight also puts you at risk for falling.
• Consider using a helper device like a hand grabber, cane or walker to help move around your house more safely.
• Take an exercise class such as tai chi to improve your balance and strengthen your legs. Improving the strength of your leg muscles helps with balance and stability so you’re less likely to fall.

Home safety tips

Here are things you can do to make your home safer:

• Make sure you have good lighting indoors and out. Consider adding motion sensor lights to your hallway or stairwell.
• Remove tripping hazards (shoes, clothes, toys, etc.) from your floors, stairways, landings, bathrooms, bedrooms and hallways.
• Install grab bars in your showers or bathroom. A raised seat on your toilet can also help.
• Wear shoes with traction, not socks or slippers, inside and outside of your house.
• Secure rugs to the floor with corner sticky grips or remove throw rugs altogether.
• Buy bulky products such as laundry detergent and milk in smaller sizes so you have a hand free to steady yourself, if needed, when putting them away.
• Keep kitchen and laundry room items within easy reach so you don’t have to get up on a chair or step stool to grab them.
• Install adequate guard rails on a child’s bed so they don’t fall out of it.

When to get treatment

The timeline for seeking treatment depends on how much your body hurts after the fall. Use the following guidelines as a starting point to help you decide:

• If you can’t get up after you’ve fallen, call 911 or an emergency contact.
• If you’re still sore hours later, consider going to urgent care to make sure nothing is broken or needs treatment.
• If you’re in pain or sore a few days later, call your primary care provider. They can help you with a plan for pain relief or other treatment if needed.