Avoiding Injuries from Household Falls

It’s a well-known fact that injuries resulting from household falls can have a major impact on the long term health of an older adult.  A recent study found that nearly 70 percent of household falls resulted in injury, a quarter of falls led to hospitalization, and more than a third of all falls resulted in decreased physical ability.

What’s less well known is that the fear of potentially falling not only prevents seniors from enjoying the daily activities of their younger years, but this decrease in activity actually degrades an individual’s balance and strength, increasing the chance of a serious fall over the course of a senior’s life.

Balance is the Key to Keeping Seniors Safe

While many fall prevention programs offer strength and balance-improving exercises and household tweaks to better protect seniors, the increasingly popular “A Matter of Balance” program goes a step further by encouraging students to discuss their personal experiences and fears of falling as a means to reduce anxiety, increase activity and give seniors the tools they need to keep themselves safe.

If you or someone you care about has concerns about falling, the Park Slope Center for Successful Aging is currently accepting students for their new (and free!) Matter of Balance program, operated by the center’s own Jennifer Batra, LMSW.

The Matter of Balance program takes place over the course of eight weeks, with weekly 2-hour long classes taking place at the center every Tuesday, from 2 to 4pm.  The class is free of charge for participants and is open to seniors of all experience levels.

To enroll in the class, prospective students must contact Jennifer Batra at 718-832-3728 before attending.  The first class of this cycle will be held on Tuesday, February 28th.

At SelectCare, it’s our goal to help every senior live a happier, healthier life in the comfort of their long-time home. That’s why our staff makes every effort to not only provide the best possible home health care services in New York City, but also to locate and promote valuable resources our community can use to remain safe.

If you or someone you know could benefit from this class, we encourage you to share this post.  Additionally, if you are considering home health care services, we invite you to give us a call and speak with our staff of home health care experts or request a free home health care guide through our website.