FALLING: A DRAMATIC DANGER FOR PEOPLE WITH DEMENTIA

Courtesy - Alzheimer's Association - Western and Central Washington State Chapter

Everyone who takes care of people with dementia knows that the risk of falling poses a grave threat to their lives and wellbeing.  Falling--and complications that follow--may lead to the death of a person with Alzheimer's Disease.  The danger is every bit as real as that posed by pneumonia or infection.

Perhaps people with dementia will benefit from the recognition that they are not alone.  Falling poses a mortal threat to all people older than 65.  In 1998, the Annals of Long-Term Care reported that "unintentional injury is the sixth leading cause of deaths in person 65 years and older."

Clearly, more protections are needed.  Who can act to put them in place?  At home, the family must encourage safe practices.  In community settings, responsibility belongs to administrators, all paid caregivers, residents and visitors.  The responsibility belongs as well to medical professionals, who must assess their patients' risk of falling and ensure that falls are properly evaluated.  Osteoporosis is a factor, of course.  Eleven different categories of medications have been implicated for possible roles in causing falls.

These facts, along with doctors' duties, are laid out in detail in a clinical practice guideline, "Falls and Fall Risk," recently acquired by Green-Field Library at the national Alzheimer's Association.

The guideline suggests several programs facilities may want to adopt, from programs to combat wandering, to limiting use of physical restraints, to rehab programs.  Then, of course, there is the classic lists complied by social worker Lisa Snyder, spelling out what families can do to protect individuals with early-stage Alzheimer's.

• Use nightlights in the bathroom, bedroom and hallways.
   

• Install grab rails in the shower and by the toilet.  Use rubber bath mats with suction cups to hold them in place.  Remove throw rugs that are easily tripped on.
   

• Keep telephone and electrical cords tacked to floor baseboards or out of pathways.
   

• Store frequently used objects within reach.  Avoid using step stools or chairs to reach things.
   

• Mop up spills or debris immediately.
   

• Be aware that a small pet that lies in the walkway may blend into the floor, becoming a potential hazard for tripping.
   

• Consider marking stairs with brightly colored strips of tape to outline changes in elevations.
   

• Arrange furniture so that walking routes are not obstructed.  Eliminate or pad corners of furniture that has sharp edges.

Lisa Snyder also puts forth a list of concerns in community settings.  She addresses shoes, eyeglasses and the use of canes, as well as a strong exercise program.  Putting these ideas into action can't guarantee that your family member wont fall, but it can lower the chances and reduce the potential for serious injury if a fall occurs and reduce the potential for serious injury if a fall occurs.