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16BODYOFCHRISTNEWSMARCH2013AccordingtotheCenterforDiseaseControlCDCfallsarethenumberonesourceofnonfatalinjuriesamongolderadultsthose65orolder.Eachyearoneineverythreeseniorsfallsbutlessthanhalftalktotheirhealth-careprovidersabouttheincident.Fallscancausemoderatetosevereinjuriessuchashiplegankleupperarmandhandfractureswhichcanmakeithardforolderadultstogetaroundorliveindependently.Manyseniorswhofalleveniftheyarenotinjureddevelopafearoffallingwhichmaycausethemtolimittheiractivitiesleadingtoreducedmobil-ityandlossofphysicalfitnesswhichinturnincreasestheiractualriskoffalling.In20092.2millionnonfatalfallinjuriesamongolderadultsweretreatedinemergencydepartmentsandmorethan581000ofthesepatientswerehospitalized.Thechancesoffallingandofbeingseriouslyinjuredinafallincreasewithage.In2009therateoffallinjuriesforadults85andolderwasalmostfourtimesthatforadults65to74.Peopleage75andolderthatfellwerefourtofivetimesmorelikelythanthoseage65to74tobeadmittedtoalong-termcarefacilityforayearorlonger.Fortunatelyfallsarelargelypre-ventable.Thereareseveralwaystoreducethechancesoffallingwhichincludeexercisingreviewingmedica-tionsannualeyeexamsandmakingyourhomesafer.Exercisingregularisagreatwaytoreducethechancesoffalling.Exercisingimprovesbalanceandcoordination.Askyourdoctororpharmacisttoreviewyourmedicinesi.e.prescriptionandover-thecountertoidentifymedicinesthatmaycausesideeffectsorinteractionssuchasdiz-zinessordrowsiness.AlsobesuretotakeinadequateamountscalciumandvitaminDfromfoodandorfromsupplements.Getscreenedandtreatedforosteoporo-sis.Haveyoureyescheckedbyaneyedoctorannuallyandupdateyoureyeglassestomaximizevision.Makeyourhomessaferbyreducingtrippinghazardsaddinggrabbarsinsideandoutsidethetuborshowerandnexttothetoiletaddingstairrailingsandimprovingthelightinginyourhome.InParkHillthereareseveralresourc-estohelpwithpreventingfallsonesuchplaceistheZionSeniorCenterlocatedat5151E.33rdAveDenverCO80207.TheZionSeniorCenterisaplacewhereseniorscanmeettogetherreceiveservicesandparticipateinactivitiesthatwillenhancetheirdig-nityandsupporttheirindependence.ServicesofferedatthecenterincludelowimpactfitnessexercisestaughtbyR.U.A.ProFitnessforasmalldonationandfallpreventionworkshopstaughtbytheCenterforAfricanAmericanHealth.Formoreinformationonpro-gramsofferedattheZionSeniorCentercall303-333-5746.Ifyoushouldfindyourselfinsitu-ationwhereyouneedshortorlong-termrehabilitationfromaninjuredsustainedfromafallForestStreetCompassionateCareCentera24hourAfricanAmericanskillednursingfacil-itycanhelpyouontheroadtorecov-eryandregainingyourindependence.ForestStreetoffersafullspectrumofrehabilitationservicesincludingphysicaloccupationalspeechandrespiratorytherapies.Patientswhoreturnhomefollow-ingrehabilitationatForestStreetCompassionateCareCenterreceiveahomeevaluationtoassesstheneedfordurablemedicalequipmenttoinsureasuccessfulandsafereturnhome.FormoreinformationonForestStreetCompassionateCareCenterpleasevisitthefacilityat3345ForestStreetDenverCO80207orvisitwww.forestst.orgorcall303.393.7600.ELDERCAREUnintentionalFallsLeadingCauseofInjuryfor65ByMayaWheelerMHAAskyourdoctororpharmacisttoreviewyourmedicinesi.e.prescriptionandover-thecounter.MayaWheeler