Beyond the Byline: Safety is no walk in the park

WILKES-BARRE — When I was a kid, my mom decided to take me “over town” to the big city — Wilkes-Barre.

We were going to have lunch at The Spa Restaurant and then go to a movie. I can’t remember what movie we were going to see.

Anyway, dad was at work and had the car. So, my mom said we could walk to the bottom of Reynolds Street and catch the bus to Public Square.

It sounded like a pretty good plan.

My mom had polio as a child and she wore a brace on her left leg. She walked with a very pronounced limp. Walking was not always easy for her, especially walking downhill.

About halfway down Reynolds Street, mom fell. I helped her up, but her knee was bleeding. We had to return home.

Since that day, I have always had concerns about people with ambulatory problems who in a blink of an eye, could lose their balance and fall. It could be worse than a scraped knee. If a person hits their head, all sorts of issues could arise.

Last week, the Department of Aging reminded Pennsylvanians of the preventive measures necessary to avoid falls — particularly among older adults.

“As adults get older, they are more vulnerable to falls that could end in life-changing consequences.,” said Secretary of Aging Robert Torres. “However, falling is not an inevitable result of aging. Through practical lifestyle adjustments, prevention programs, exercise and community partnerships, falls among older adults can be substantially reduced.”

Torres said the Department of Aging wants to help older adults maintain a good quality of life by increasing awareness of this issue, providing educational programs and encouraging all Pennsylvanians to take steps to protect themselves and their older loved ones who may be at increased risk of suffering from falls.

The Department of Aging provides resources for older adults on how to assess their risk for falls and how to prevent them.

Here are tips to prevent falls:

Ask Your Doctor to:

Evaluate your risk for falling.

Review your prescriptions and over the counter medications.

Evaluate your need for calcium or vitamin D supplements.

Review any issues that are causing you to experience periods of confusion or difficulty remembering.

Make Your Home Safer:

Get rid of things you could trip over in your home.

Add grab bars inside and outside your tub or shower and next to the toilet.

Put railings on both sides of stairs.

Make sure your home — inside and around the exterior — is well lit.

Live Healthier:

Participate in strength and balance exercises.

Eat a healthy balanced diet.

Have your eyes checked.

Have your hearing checked.

Gov. Tom Wolf presented a proclamation designating Sept. 21-25 “Falls Prevention Awareness Week” in the commonwealth, which coincides with the nationwide commemoration by the National Council on Aging.

Falls are the leading cause of fatal and non-fatal injuries among people 65 and older in the commonwealth, accounting for 67.5% of fatal traumatic brain injuries, and resulting in 1,606 deaths and 57,727 hospitalizations in 2018.

Older adults who experience a fall may face depression, loss of mobility and loss of functional independence.

This is all good advice.

Seek help.

Don’t take unnecessary risks.

Stay safe.