| Part 1 - Internal Factors
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| | arms limits the ability to transfer in
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| Falls and their consequences are the
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| | and out of bed or a chair.
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| leading cause of death in people 65 years
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| | Vision changes. As people get older it
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| and older. For people 85 and older, it's
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| | becomes harder for the eyes to adjust to
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| estimated that one in five falls results
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| | varying levels of lightness and darkness.
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| in death.
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| | We become more sensitive to glare.
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| Until recently, most falls have been
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| | Decreased depth perception also makes it
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| blamed on a single cause - precipitated
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| | hard to distinguish high-contrast
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| by either a medical event or an
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| | patterns from actual elevation changes.
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| "accident" related to the environment.
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| | Balance problems. Aging naturally
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| Today, researchers know that falls are
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| | diminishes the body's natural automatic
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| rarely the result of an isolated event.
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| | reflexes that enable people to properly
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| Rather falls are complex events caused by
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| | interpret and re-orient their center of
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| the interaction of both internal and
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| | gravity as they move or walk. Changes in
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| external factors.
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| | gait (such as walking with a narrower or
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| Most falls represent the end result of a
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| | wider stance than usual) increase the
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| series of independent and often small
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| | risk of catching a foot on an
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| risks. Individually, such risks pose no
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| | obstruction.
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| harm. Young and able-bodied people can
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| | Cardiovascular difficulties. Numbness in
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| manage avoid many daily mishaps so
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| | the limbs affects the ability to sense
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| naturally, they never even realize it.
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| | the ground or command their limbs to
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| Eventually though, age, disability or
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| | adjust to it. Cardiovascular problems can
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| compromised health not only created its
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| | also cause sudden loss of blood to the
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| own risks, it can make it impossible to
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| | brain, resulting in fainting.
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| deal with even the simplest environmental
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| | Medications. Many drugs (including
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| risks.
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| | alcohol) affect judgment and
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| Often, a fall "happens" (meaning, factors
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| | coordination. Tranquilizers can slow
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| set it in motion) long before the victim
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| | reflexes. Others increase the risk of
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| encounters the event. As relatives and
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| | fainting
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| caregivers, it becomes our responsibility
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| | Chronic or acute diseases. Falls may
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| to recognize and correct those
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| | often be the initial symptom of a
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| factors-both physiological and
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| | disease. Degenerative disorders only
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| environmental- and break the chain of
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| | compound the risk of falls.
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| risk, before a fall occurs. Prevention is
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| | Depression, stress or lack of sleep. Such
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| no accident.
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| | issues can make people preoccupied and
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| Internal risk factors
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| | less alert to the dangers around them.
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| A number of physiological and medical
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| | You can help prevent falls in one of the
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| factors play a role in causing falls.
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| | most dangerous rooms in the home, by
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| Understanding these can help you reduce
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| | equipping your bathroom with readily
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| the risks from these and other factors.
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| | available devices including secure hand
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| Here are a few major ones.
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| | rails, a raised toilet seat, a bathing
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| Changes in muscles and bones. Changes in
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| | chair, easy-to-reach shower controls, and
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| muscles and joints not only make movement
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| | non-slip shower/tub liners.
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| more difficult, they also make it harder
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| | Stayed tuned for Part 2, understanding
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| to correct for a sudden loss of balance.
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| | the external risk factors to help reduce
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| Loss of strength in the legs or upper
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| | our senior's risk for falls.
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