“How to Reduce the Risk of Falls in Elderly People with Dementia: Tailored Fall Prevention Approach with Exercise Interventions and Personal Guidance”

2023-04-26 10:39:29

According to figures from Statistics Netherlands, more and more elderly people are dying as a result of a fall. It is striking that a significant proportion of these suffer from dementia. This is not surprising as elderly people with dementia are twice as likely to fall. They are more likely to sustain more serious injuries and recover less quickly. The sooner attention is paid to the increased risk of falling in these elderly people, the greater the chance of effective fall prevention. This is reported by Security NL.

There can be a lot going on in the lives of elderly people with dementia, so there is often little attention for fall prevention. Fortunately, falls can also be prevented in elderly people with dementia. As with elderly people without dementia, a tailor-made fall prevention approach is needed. This means assessing which risk factors play a role in falling and referring to appropriate interventions. Offering a fall-preventive exercise intervention is always an integral part of this. To increase the chance of success, personal guidance from professionals and the involvement of informal carers are of great importance.

Keep moving

Finally, it is important to encourage exercise in an elderly person, with or without dementia. Because it is precisely inactivity that causes the elderly to lose muscle mass and therefore fall faster. Doing household chores or going for a walk (with them) can already contribute to lowering the risk of falling.

By: National Care Guide