4 weeks ago my mom fell and broke her hip. She swore she wasn't going to be "one of those old people who fall and break their hip." She had no history of falls, no warning. But it happened anyway.
There are some scary statistics associated with hip fractures. First of all, 1/3 of adults over the age of 65 fall every year. Ten percent of them will break their hip. That's about 350,000 hip fractures every year in the U.S. And that 30% of older adults will die within the year after their fracture. One third of people (who previously lived independently) will spend a year in a nursing home after. 40% will be unable to walk independently a year later, and 60% can no longer take care of everyday activities like getting dressed. One in three women, and one in five men will have a fracture at some point after age 50.
The next few posts will give you tips on how to prevent falls. If you feel like your balance is not what it used to be- I urge you to discuss it with your doctor and see a physical therapist for an assessment. There are exercises that can help improve your balance, improve your reaction time, and improve your strength.
