Home Improvements to Prevent Falls

Many State and local governments have education and/or home modification programs to help older people prevent falls. Check with your local health department, division of elder affairs, or area agency on aging to see if there is a program near you.

Here are some helpful resources:

Eldercare Locator
1-800-677-1116 (toll-free)
www.eldercare.gov

National Center for Injury Prevention and Control
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
4770 Buford Highway, NE
MS F-63
Atlanta, GA 30341-3717
1-800-232-4636 (toll-free)
1-888-232-6348 (TTY/toll-free)
www.cdc.gov/ncipc

National Resource Center on Supportive Housing and Home Modification
3715 McClintock Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90089-0191
1-213-740-1364
www.homemods.org

Rebuilding Together
1899 L Street, NW, Suite 1000
Washington, DC 20036
1-800-473-4229 (toll-free)
www.rebuildingtogether.org

For more information on osteoporosis, home safety for people with Alzheimer’s disease, or other resources on health and aging, including Exercise & Physical Activity: Your Everyday Guide from the National Institute on Aging, contact:

National Institute on Aging Information Center
P.O. Box 8057
Gaithersburg, MD 20898-8057
1-800-222-2225 (toll-free)
1-800-222-4225 (TTY/toll-free)
www.nia.nih.gov
www.nia.nih.gov/Espanol

Wearing the Right Shoes Can Help Prevent Falls

The older we get, the greater importance we must place on wearing the right shoes to help prevent falls. Increasing problems maintaining balance, and health issues such as diabetes, dictate we wear the right shoes to help keep our feet healthy and our walk steady. Shoes make a difference in whether we stay safe and upright or accidentally injure ourselves in a fall.

In order to prevent wear and tear on the feet and to help maintain proper balance, consider these suggestions.

• Buy shoes at stores that have professional fitters. Make sure your feet are measured so that your shoes fit properly. If you haven’t purchased shoes recently, your size may have changed.
• Try on both shoes as one foot may be a different size than the other. Make sure there is at least half-inch between the longest toe and the end of your shoe.
• Try on shoes in the later part of the day when feet are most likely to be swollen.
• Check the lining to make sure nothing will rub on your foot causing blisters, calluses, and pain.
• Choose non-skid soles to prevent falling on slippery surfaces. Beware of crepe soles that may stick to carpet, thus possibly causing a fall.
• Choose flat or low heels. Flat heals are better for walkers, although you may prefer low heels for special occasions.
• Break in shoes over time. Do not try to wear new shoes all day or if you are going to an event where you will stand for any length of time. Try buying shoes well enough ahead of time to wear a couple of  hours each day until they are comfortable to wear for longer periods.

Diabetics must be especially careful to protect their feet, therefore, they should wear shoes at all times when outdoors. Indoors they can change to slippers with a nonskid sole. They should never go barefoot for any length of time. Diabetics should also avoid open-toed shoes, sandals, or flip-flops.

Take care of your feet and they will take care of you by providing the support you  need to stand and to walk. Choose your shoes carefully, not only for comfort, but to help prevent injuries or falls.

Source: http://www.eldercarecafe.net/wearing-the-right-shoes-can-help-prevent-falls.html

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