January 17, 2024

Quote of the Week:

“To care for those who once cared for us is one of the highest honors”

— Tia Walker

Check out the Newsletter:  “Injury Prevention for Caregivers”  8/30/23

Given the hazards to caregivers  in caring for frail loved ones,

And how vulnerable frail elders are for injuries (see newsletter above)… which describes what to do WHEN AND RIGHT AFTER your loved one falls…

Now that you have reviewed this information — you’re ready to try to understand what can happen to frail elders even after physical recovery from a fall…

And what to do about it!

Let’s look at the AFTERMATH for Frail Elders after a Fall: 

Physical Injury: The most obvious concerns…

 1. Musculoskeletal injuries. Commonly: Fractures, sprain or strain — Hip, Wrist, Shoulder—etc.

2. Head injury: Concussion, affecting cognition, mood, memory skills, etc.

3. Tissue damage (rhabdomyolysis) — from laying on the floor without moving for an extended period of time.

Emotional Injury or POST FALL SYNDROME — “decompensatory ‘domino effect’ and mortality”. Perhaps the most common outcome: BECOMING FEARFUL OF FALLING or POST FALL SYNDROME

Following the fall, its is likely to see…

• Retropulsion. (leaning backwards)
• Leaning back of the trunk in a sitting position.
• Loss of the anterior projection of the trunk in order to stand up.
• Positioning the feet forward when changing from sit to stand.
• Severe tendency to clutch and grab and unable to walk unsupported with tendency to fall backwards when standing.
• At increased risk for functional decline and death

Check out this article here…

From the National Library of Medicine

A survey in six general practices information was obtained on 125 people aged 65 and over who fell in their own homes. Three fractured their femurs and 15 had other fractures; most of the rest suffered only trivial injuries. Twenty lay on the floor for more than one hour; none were known to have suffered hypothermia. One-quarter of these patients died within one year of the fall, five times as many as in an age- and sex-matched control group; while of those who lay on the floor for more than one hour, half died within six months of the fall.

Though this study was done in 1981 — this is still a clearly seen outcome of falls for frail elderly. Even after just one fall!

• Exercise to promote movement and strength.
• Postural work to correct the compensation.
• Work on the change of position to teach the easy and safe way to stand up, sit down, and lie down.
• Work on the walk and to correct their gait.

In other words, after getting a through work up from physician, ask for Physical Therapy referral!

Together, we can make a meaningful difference in the lives of

elders and family caregivers who selflessly support them.

DayBreak is committed to empowering elders and supporting caregivers. If you know a senior in need of our care and coordination services, or a family caregiver seeking assistance, encourage them to reach out to us at:

510-834-8314