Assessing Falls Can Help Seniors Avoid Leading Cause of Serious Injuries Among Older Americans Skip to main content Close Select your preferred language English عربى 简体中文 繁體中文 فارسي עִברִית 日本語 한국어 Русский Español Tagalog Menu Close Call 1-800-CEDARS-1 toggle search form Close Los Angeles, 15 September 2017 06:08 AM America/Los_Angeles Assessing Falls Can Help Seniors Avoid Leading Cause of Serious Injuries Among Older Americans On Falls Prevention Awareness Day Cedars-Sinai Geriatrician Sonja Rosen MD Shares Five Tips for Seniors Aiming to Avoid Taking a Tumble Sonja Rosen, MD, is medical director, Geriatrics for Cedars-Sinai Medical Network and chief, Academic Section of Geriatrics at Cedars-Sinai. Photo by Cedars-Sinai. Sonja Rosen, MD, is medical director, Geriatrics for Cedars-Sinai Medical Network and chief, Academic Section of Geriatrics at Cedars-Sinai. Photo by Cedars-Sinai. Every year, millions of senior citizens fall - threatening their health, independence and even their lives. Fall injuries also rack up $31 billion annually in medical expenses, which is expected to rise as 10,000 people in the U.S. turn 65 every day. The seniors behind those statistics are the reasons why Cedar-Sinai Medical Group now is offering increased access to comprehensive falls assessments in time for Falls Prevention Awareness Day on Sept. 22. "The best medical treatment for injuries from falls is to prevent them from happening in the first place," said geriatrician Sonja Rosen, MD, associate medical director, Geriatric Care Programs and chief of Geriatric Medicine for Cedars-Sinai Medical Group. "Seniors who have fallen - or are afraid they will - should get a comprehensive risk assessment from a geriatrician, who can determine the causes of their falls and give them a treatment plan." A falls assessment includes an in-office health screening to document previous spills, review the patient's social and physical movement history, evaluate the patient's need for walking or balance aids, and take stock of a patient's medications - such as sedatives - that can make seniors unsteady. Next, a functional review tests patients' strength, balance and gait. Geriatricians watch patients stand from a seated position with feet together and arms across their chest. Patients also are timed getting out of a chair and walking several feet. " "The best medical treatment for injuries from falls is to prevent them from happening in the first place. Seniors who have fallen - or are afraid they will - should get a comprehensive risk assessment from a geriatrician, who can determine the causes of their falls and give them a treatment plan." Geriatrician Sonja Rosen, MD, associate medical director, Geriatric Care Programs and chief of Geriatric Medicine for Cedars-Sinai Medical Group„ Following the assessment, a patient might be prescribed medication or nutritional supplements or be taken off a medication that increases their risk for falls. Assistive walking devices like a cane might be recommended, as well as physical therapy or an exercise program designed to increase balance or strength. The comprehensive evaluation doesn't stop at the doctor's office. The physician may order a home health and safety visit with an occupational therapist, who can recommend household modifications like a grab bar in the shower. Case managers and social workers also can connect patients to community resources for food or help getting to doctor appointments, if needed. "Falls are common but never normal with aging," Rosen said. "In many cases, we can prevent falls by following a few commonsense guidelines." The guidelines Rosen shares with her falls-assessment patients are:Avoid household hazards. Most people fall at home. Get rid of loose rugs and declutter hallways.Clear a path at night. Keep an open walkway to the bathroom and turn on a dim light.If you fall, let your doctor know. Falls are common but never normal.Ask your doctor to review your medications. Certain drugs can cause falls.If you have a cane or walker, always use it as directed. Nobody knows when they'll fall. Research shows that effective interventions reduce the frequent falling rate of older patients by 30 to 40 percent. To schedule an assessment with a geriatrician, call 310-385-3511. Contact Marni Usheroff marni.usheroff@cshs.org Share this release Assessing Falls Can Help Seniors Avoid Leading Cause of Serious Injuries Among Older Americans Share on: Twitter Share on: Facebook Share on: LinkedIn Search Our Newsroom Social media Visit our Facebook page (opens in new window) Follow us on Twitter (opens in new window) Visit our Youtube profile (opens in new window) (opens in new window) Latest news 07 Oct 2022 - HealthDay: Black Women Less Likely to Get Laparoscopic Fibroid Surgeries 07 Oct 2022 - Faculty Publications: Sept. 29-Oct. 6 07 Oct 2022 - Fine-Tuning Organ-Chip Technology 06 Oct 2022 - KCRW: Want New Omicron Booster? Wait at Least 2 Months After Last Shot 05 Oct 2022 - Cedars-Sinai Schedules Free Flu Vaccine Clinics 04 Oct 2022 - Cedars-Sinai Showcases Hispanic and Latinx Art Newsroom Home