January 2006

Want to know if you're at risk for falling? Call the St. Camillus Home Care Agency at (315) 488-2831 to see if an in-home falls-risk assessment may be right for you or a loved one. Attention Halthcare Professionals: Want to refer a patient for an in-home or outpatient falls-risk assessment? Download our referral form (use Adobe Acrobat Reader to view and print it) or call the St. Camillus Home Care Agency at (315) 488-2831.

St. Camillus Offers Falls-Risk Assessments for Home Care Patients and Outpatients

Falls among older adults pose a serious health risk. According to the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, one in every three people in the United States age 65 and older fall each year. Falling is the leading cause of injuries, hospital trauma admissions, and injury deaths for older adults. Almost 13,000 people 65 and older died of fall-related injuries in 2002. Here in Central New York, the average number of fall-related deaths from 1989-1998 were slightly above the national rate in Onondaga and Cortland Counties, according to the Centers for Disease Control.

So what can you do to avoid falling?

"Find out if you are at risk for falls," recommends Lynne Bird, director of home care at the St. Camillus Home Care Agency. "Some common signs include frequent loss of balance or near falls, increased frailty, and decreased daily activities that require walking."

If you feel that you or a loved one is at risk for falling, the St. Camillus Home Care Agency offers an in-home evaluation. It’s a simple balance test can point to problem areas before a major accident occurs. The same test can also be performed by St. Camillus’ outpatient therapists for those who are not homebound.

Once problem areas are identified, a plan can be developed to decrease falls risk. Studies have shown that treatments that include exercise for older adults reduce the risk of falls.

"Physical therapy may be needed initially to enhance a person’s strength, mobility, and balance," says St. Camillus physical therapist, Patrick VanBeveren, PT, DPT, OCS, GCS. "Then a good exercise program can be used as ongoing maintenance to keep falls risk to a minimum."

Older adults can also prevent falls by creating a safer home environment. Better indoor and outdoor lighting, use of night-lights, securing or removing throw rugs, and keeping phone cords and other wires out of the way can help make your home safer.

Knowing your risk for falls can go a long way toward avoiding serious injury and maintaining your independent lifestyle at home.

St. Camillus Home Care is a NYS certified home healthcare agency offering skilled nursing, rehabilitation therapies, home health aid services, social services, nutrition services and more. They accept payment from Medicare, Medicaid, private insurance and self-pay clients.

For more information about in-home falls-risk assessments, please call the St. Camillus Home Care Agency at (315) 488-2831 or e-mail homecare@st-camillus.org. For more information about falls-risk assessments via our Outpatient Rehabilitation Program (for non-homebound individuals), please call or e-mail St. Camillus Physical Therapist Patrick VanBeveren, PT, DPT, OCS, at (315) 488-2951, ext. 229.