"Focus on what preserves the body in unexpected moments." Peter Twist
In the blink of an eye, everything can change forever. Such an event is a fall. The Greater Los Angeles VA Geriatric Research Education Clinical Care and Affiliate developed a fall risk self-assessment that lets anyone assess their risk for falling.
Below are a series of questions to answer yes or no.
#1. I have fallen in the past year.
#2. I use or have been advised to use a cane to get around safely.
#3. I steady myself by holding onto furniture when walking at home.
#4. I am worried about falling.
#5. I need to push with my hands to get up from a chair.
#6. I have trouble stepping up to a curb.
#7. I have lost some feeling in my feet.
#8. I take medication that sometimes makes me light-headed or more tired than usual.
#9. I take medicine to help improve my mood.
#10. I often feel sad or depressed.
Total up the "yes" answer. If you scored 4 points or more, you may be at risk for falling. To just add a short comment, several of these might be attributed to weak leg muscles. Exercise could be a part of the Rx. Feel free to share with anyone that might benefit from this information and for more information, visit www.cdc.gov/injury and www.stopfalls.org.
