Lois M. Collins covers policy and research impacting families for the Deseret News.
MURRAY — Maurice Wells picked his way carefully across the lot at Wheeler Historic Farm on Tuesday, leaning lightly on the walker he has used for the past couple of years.It started with a fall when he was coming home in the evening light and tripped on uneven ground.
He got up, brushed himself off and figured he needed to be careful. About four months later, though, he fell in his home and a concerned relative insisted he go to the hospital to be checked out.The diagnosis after numerous tests was no heart attack or stroke, so "See ya. Be careful."Wells was at the farmstead in Murray for the Strong and Steady event sponsored by Salt Lake County Aging Services, Intermountain Health and the Salt Lake County Health Department.Falls can be life-changing and in some cases even life-ending for older adults, so the program focused heavily on fall prevention, with demonstrations, booths, safety tips, muscle strength testing and more.At 86, Wells said he's no stranger to the risks of falling; it's just not something he's done until the past couple of years. He's active even now, walking daily. He also goes to the Sandy senior center for lunch on weekdays, because, as he jokes, "cooking for one is no darn fun" and neither is doing dishes.Wells is grateful that when his wife became frail, he put grab bars in strategic locations in their home. Now that she's gone — Helga died in 2011 — he uses them himself.How falls change trajectories Janene Holberg, a physical therapist with Intermountain Health, shows different ways to get up after a fall as Salt Lake County hosts a free community event highlighting ways to prevent falls, at the Wheeler Farm Outdoor Education Center in Murray on Tuesday. The National Safety Council reports that in the U.S., about 3 million adults age 65 and older are treated in emergency departments for fall-related injuries. More than 800,000 patients are hospitalized for them. Falls can be life-altering but are largely preventable.They are a common problem for older adults, but they're not a normal sign of aging, according to Afton January, aging services spokeswoman. They can indicate a much bigger problem, whether it's a medical issue, poor vision, physical environment or related to strength.And September is a good time to remind people, she added, because winter brings an extra set of vulnerabilities, including wet surfaces, less good daylight and even "clunkier shoes."She,
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