The Dangers of Falling
According to the National Council on Aging one in every four Americans older than 65 falls once each year. The leading cause of fatal injury in adults 65 and older are due to falls. They are also the most common reason for a senior citizen to go to the emergency department or become hospitalized. About every 19 minutes a senior citizen dies from a fall and about every 11 seconds a senior citizen is treated in the emergency department for a fall. Annually falls account for 2.8 million injuries in the emergency department. They are also responsible for 800,000 hospitalizations and more than 27,000 deaths.
Falls not only come at a high price physically but they can also have a mental impact on our loved ones. An increasing number of senior citizens fear falls, this leads to a lower quality of life. Due to these falls senior citizens are more likely to limit exercise and social interaction. These limitations can lead to the senior citizen becoming bed bound and my even encourage conditions such as depression, a felling of helplessness, Dementia and Alzheimer’s.
https://www.ncoa.org/news/resources-for-reporters/get-the-facts/falls-prevention-facts/
https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2016/p0922-older-adult-falls.html
Dementia
According to the World Health Organization about 50 million people have dementia and there are about 10 million new cases every year. According to Harvard health the sings and symptoms are as follows: Memory loss, impaired judgement, difficulties with abstract thinking, faulty reasoning, inappropriate behavior, loss of communication skills, disorientation to time and place, gait, motor and balance problems, neglect of their own personal care and safety, hallucinations, paranoia and agitation. There are several ways to combat dementia.
Social interaction is a key aspect of keeping dementia at bay. Simple things such as crossword puzzles, and memory games can help as well. According to a Harvard health study in 2015, those who engaged in three hour-long exercise sessions a week for 16 weeks had less anxiety, irritability, depression, better mental speed and attention compared with those who didn't exercise. Another study of 65 sedentary older adults with mild cognitive impairment showed that those who took part in 45 to 60 minutes of aerobic exercise four times a week for six months not only had better attention and planning skills, but also better blood flow to the brain and a reduction in dangerous proteins associated with Alzheimer's disease, compared with those who only did stretching exercises. These studies prove that there are ways to at least slow the progression of dementia.
https://www.health.harvard.edu/a_to_z/dementia-a-to-z
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/142214.php
https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/dementia
https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/exercise-a-promising-treatment-for-dementia