Falls leading cause of injury in seniors in Canada: study

A local resident of Windsor was walking his dog on Ouellette Avenue when he tripped on asphalt two years ago.

“I fell into the road, banged my head and broke my glasses,” Wayne Tennant said. He was 73 when the incident happened. He received a small cut on forehead, but has now fully recovered.

A study conducted by the Canadian Institute for Health and Information noted falls are the leading cause of injury for older adults across Canada.

Over the past three years, injury hospitalizations among seniors due to falls increased by nine per cent or about 8,900 people according to the study published in September by Fall Prevention Fact Bank. The study also noted it is the largest increase among hospitalizations for seniors.

Several injury prevention groups, including Fall Prevention Month and Parachute, launched prevention campaigns on general knowledge to avoid falls. Information on what to do when a person fell is also included.

Consultant Liaison at Fall Prevention Community of Practice Marguerite Thomas said assessing oneself after a fall is crucial.

“If you feel that there has been any risk of spinal or other injuries, don’t try to move and do things,” said Thomas.

She said having a medical alert device such as a wristwatch and phones for people at risk for falling are helpful.

According to Thomas, “fear of falling” is one of the worst scenarios a person can experience after tripping or falling by accident.

“Once people develop a fear of falling, they don’t want to exercise,” said Thomas. “When you don’t exercise, that’s when you start losing muscle mass and you lose strength, flexibility and balance. You need to be active.”