Why is this so important?

Tripping on your toes is one of the common causes of morbidity and leading causes for nonfatal injuries; and sometimes it causes severe health problems such as fracture, hemorrhage, and even death. Older adults often have higher risk of falling for they often suffer from age-related changes like unsteady gait, reduced vision like presbyopia, health-related fragility, and stiff joints. These causes often affect your health and require your attention to prevent them.

Who might be at increased risk for falls during their hospitalization?

1. People over age sixty-five.
2. People with falling history.
3. People suffering from bewilderedness, disorientation, and drowsiness.
4. People with ill vision or loss of sight.
5. People suffering from headache, dizziness, and hypotension.
6. People relying heavily on cans or walkers.
7. People in need of assistance for bathroom use.
8. People on medications like sedative tranquilizers, pain killers, diuretics, antihistamine, antidiabetics, anticonvulsants, and anti-hypertension.

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How can we prevent falls in the hospital?

1. Use bed railings

When you suffer from disorientation, confusion, dizziness, and headache; ask for assistance from our medical staff.

• Put down your side railings before getting up from a lying position, and do not climb over the side railings. When you need help, please feel free to call your healthcare providers for help.
• You can prevent a fall by using your side rail when you are asleep.
•  If you feel any dizziness, vision problem, weakness, or any other health problems during hospitalization, please inform your healthcare providers.

2. Get out of bed

• Please ask your health care providers to check on your blood pressure in two different positions: one you’re your lying position and the other with standing position. Ask for help when you need to change positions.
• Ask your doctor or nurses about the medications you are taking because some    medications like anti-hypertension and sleeping pills may cause dizziness and weakness. Ask your caregiver to help you get up from a lying position slowly.   Firstly, you lie on the bed with your head raising 45℃, and then sit on the bed for 5 minutes. Secondly, sit on the bedside and move your feet for 5 minutes to increase you muscle strength, and then try to stand on the floor and walk around.
• If you have unsteady gait, do not get out of bed by yourself, and always use assistance devices like wheelchairs, walkers, and canes, or request assistance from our medical staff.

3. Walking

• Use walkers or cans within your reaching distance to help you stabilize gait
• Wear suitable clothes and shoes or slippers when you walk.
• Keep the toilet floor dry. Inform our staff if you notice any water on the floor; make sure that there is no obstruction in the aisles and maintain the brightness of the room.

4. Be aware of the bathroom risks

• Avoid wet floor in and out of the bathroom to prevent slipping on your feet.
• Ask your caregiver to stay with you when you use the bathroom.
• Turn on the light and keep the bathroom lighted when it is dark.
• Change your position slowly when you are in the bathroom.
• Use electric call bell in the bathroom if you need help.

5. Use the bathroom before taking medications such as sedatives and tranquilizers or painkillers. After taking the medications, bed rest for an hour to prevent tripping caused by dizziness.
6. If you feel weak after taking medications, please use pot or bedpan.