Often, caregivers and older adults have very different concerns. But one thing everyone’s equally concerned about – or should be – is falling in older adults, and how to minimize it.
What you might not realize, though, is that one of the best ways to prevent future falls is to make sure you (or your spouse) get the right medical attention the first time it happens. You might say, “Well, of course we saw the doctor!” The thing is, though, that doctors tend to be really busy people. So if you’re not informed and proactive about what you need, you might not get it.
So here are 6 things you need to make sure your doctor checks out after a fall.
1. Blood Pressure
Checking blood pressure is routine at almost any doctor’s visit. But after a fall, it’s important to ask your doctor to check your blood pressure in a sitting and standing position. While he’s at it, he should take your pulse in both positions, too. If you’ve fallen (or almost did) because you were light-headed or dizzy, this is a must.
2. Meds
Certain medications – including sedatives, blood pressure and/or diabetes meds and opiate pain kilers – can increase the risk of falling in older adults. Your primary physician should know what you’re taking, so you can just ask her if your fall might have been medication-induced. If you’re seeing a different doctor, though, then you need to make sure to mention all medications – prescription of not – that you’re taking regularly or took around the time that you fell. Be sure to tell your doctor if you take your medications yourself or if the staff at your assisted living community brings them to you.
3. Eyesight
If you or your spouse has taken a fall and it’s been a while since your last eye exam, ask your doctor to check you out – or refer you to an ophthalmologist. Vision can deteriorate so slowly you don’t notice it until something happens, like a fall.
Another thing to check out is home safety. Ask your doctor for a checklist of things to look out for in your home or your residence.
4. Ask for a blood test
If your sodium or sugar are too high or too low, that could definitely increase your risk of falling. So ask your doctor for a complete blood count (CBC). If you or your spouse have diabetes, then bring in the glucometer or blood sugar log. That’s because a blood test will show whatever your blood work was on that day, but can’t show you ups and downs in sugar or sodium throughout the day.
Another thing to check is your Vitamin D level. Why? Because even if it’s not what led to your fall, low levels of Vitamin D do lead to more fragile bones. And that’s not something you want to have if you ever fall again.
5. Balance check
Ask your doctor to do a gait and balance check. If there’s something not 100% right there, she can give you a referral for physical therapy. Alternatively, if it’s a reaction to pain – like, say, muscle pain in your leg or a strained back – your doctor can help you with that, too.
6. Underlying conditions that can cause falling in older adults.
Tell your doctor about any new symptoms you might be feeling or noticing in yourself (or your spouse). Have you been feeling weak? Have you had digestive issues? Are you out of breath more often than you should be? These symptoms (and others you might be experiencing) could clue your doctor in to any underlying illnesses or conditions that might have contributed to your fall.