Fall is here and while we are enjoying the turning of the leaves and the beauty around us, we may also want to see if we are at risk for having a physical fall before Winter arrives.
The National Council on Aging offers a quick "Falls Free Checkup," about this risk. Click here to take a simple assessment to determine your risk.
Fall prevention is about preparation and planning. There are "Medical Alert Systems" that can detect if you have had a fall and can call for help. To see the top eight devices and what experts have to say about them, click here.
One of the major issues with having a fall is that people start limiting activities in hope of preventing another one. This can be detrimental to both physical and psychological health. Staying strong and continuing to do physical activity is an important prevention method. If you would like to find out about local exercise programs, check out the BBHCC website. Although falls do occur, frequent falls are not a natural part of aging. Sometimes falls are the result of situations in the home that cause tripping hazards like rugs that are not taped down or have too high a pile or even door thresholds that are in a state of disrepair.
Bucksport has a Safety & Accessibility Home Repair program in partnership with the Town of Bucksport and Hancock County Habitat for Humanity. If you would like to learn more or see if you qualify to be a program participant, click here.
We hope you enjoy your Fall without "falls" and encourage you to reach out to find out more about our Thrive program for older adults. It is free and is designed to keep people in their homes and community as they age.