When I was a boy I had a dream of being a professional rodeo cowboy sitting in the saddle on a bucking bronco whose only mission was to toss me as high into the air as he possibly could and then stomp, bite, and kick me once I was down. Thank God for a mother who knew best; thankfully, she was able to talk me out of that wild-haired idea and dreams of the rodeo. Through the twists and turns of life I became a nurse, and I have days when the adrenalin rush equals that of riding a bucking bronco; I have the same body aches and pains as a rodeo cowboy.
This reminds me of my pony named Dolly, who was always trying to figure out a way to get back to the barn without me on her back. One day as I was riding Dolly, she was able to make a sudden change in direction and the saddle (with me in it) did a 180 degree turn so that I was under the pony instead of on her. Dolly dragged me a bit more than a mile on a gravel road all the way back to the barn. I had not much more than a scratch or two, but a whole bunch of hurt pride. I can remember countless times I was thrown and stomped by a horse, with little more than the breath knocked out of me and some bruising of my pride.
Why is it when we are younger, falling seems to do little more than bruise our egos? So, I asked one of the smartest people I know, Dr. Roman WesoĊowski, who is a physicist; he compared our bodies to steel bridges. “A new bridge with a fresh build and brand new parts is much stronger and can withstand harder shocks, whereas older bridges' materials wear off, get corroded, and therefore, their strength is compromised.”
The other day in conversation I heard someone say that falls did not have as significant an impact on society as breast cancer. I believe awareness of all illnesses and safety issues are important. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in 2005 (the most recent year numbers are available), 186,467 women were diagnosed with breast cancer. When comparing that number to the number of falls in 2005, there were 1.8 million Americans ages 65 and older who were treated in emergency departments for nonfatal falls, with nearly 450,000 people requiring hospitalization, which cost over $19 billion. That total is expected to reach $55 billion by 2020 and does not include the $200 million cost of fatal falls.
One in three adults, 65 and older, fall each year (CDC); of those who fall, 20% to 30% suffer moderate to severe injuries, making it harder for them to get around or live independently and increasing their chances of an early death. Within this age group, falls are the leading cause of injury related deaths. Older adults are hospitalized for fall related injuries 5 times more often than they are for injuries from other causes.
So, how can we protect ourselves and those closest to us from falling? Studies have shown that simple balancing exercises, such as Tai Chi, may reduce falls by as much as 60%. Look around the home and remove any physical hazards that could cause a fall, such as unsecured throw rugs, books, newspapers, and other clutter in walkways. It is important to have proper lighting, particularly on pathways and routes to the bathroom at night. Installing handrails on stairways and grab bars in bathrooms can also be helpful in preventing falls.
Don’t let trip rugs and clutter become the bucking bronco in a day at the rodeo. Nothing is worse than realizing you have injured more than your ego, because of something you could have prevented.
Howard Baker, RN BSN
For questions, comments, or suggestions on topics you want to read about please e-mail me at: howard@howardsbaker.com
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