She "Fell Into" Hip Replacement Surgery

Main Category: Bones / Orthopedics
Also Included In: Public Health
Article Date: 21 Jul 2010 - 3:00 PDT

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Approximately 66 million Americans care for their aging parents and each year, one in three older Americans fall in their own home. Just this week, 93 year-old actress Zsa Zsa Gabor fell out of bed and broke her hip, ultimately she required hip replacement surgery. The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) knows that a fall in the home can be both life threatening and debilitating. Older Americans and their caregivers can take a proactive approach using the following AAOS guidelines to help keep seniors fall and injury-free.

Tips for the Home:

- Eliminate all tripping hazards, such as loose rugs in the home.

- Install grab bars or handrails on both sides of the stairway and other safety devices near bathtubs and beds.

- Place a lamp or flashlight near the bed.

- Keep clutter - like pets' toys or papers - off the bedroom floor.

- Replace satiny bed sheets with products made of non-slippery material; i.e. wool or cotton.

- Arrange furniture to allow a clear pathway between rooms.

- Secure loose rugs with double-faced tape, tacks or slip-resistant backing.

- Keep stairs clear of packages, boxes or other clutter.

- Install light-switches at the top and bottom of the stairs. Or, try motion-detector lights that turn on automatically.

- Put non-slip treads on each bare-wood step.

- Consider adding rails to the bed to prevent the sleeping person from rolling off.

- Keep track of pets, as these creatures are responsible for more than 86,000 fall-related injuries each year.

Dress:

- Wear properly-fitting shoes or slippers with non-skid soles, throughout the home and especially on stairs.

- Replace slippers that have stretched out of shape and are too loose.

- Never walk with socks or stockings on hardwood floors.

- Think about wearing an alarm device that will bring help in case you cannot get up from a fall.

Watch the: 60 second television ad on falls prevention , Alone.

Source:
American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons

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