When you are 65 and over, never run to answer the phone.
JAKARTA – As people get older, more things can change for the elderly (elderly). According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) United States (US), the adult population in the United States has increased life expectancy in the elderly.
However, problem health in old age is still a problem, especially the prevalence of chronic diseases. Most of the health problems faced as we age can be a direct result of our daily habits.
When you are over 65 years old, never run to answer the phone. “Because rushing to answer the phone can be very dangerous for anyone, but especially those who are 65 years or older,” said Dorothea Hudson, a senior expert at QuickQuote (a life insurance company in the US). Best Life Online on Tuesday (28/12).
According to Hudson, the elderly often try to get their phone to answer it before it stops ringing. This is one of the most common reasons for the elderly to fall in the house.
“There is a sudden need for physical activity to reach the wired phone in order to be on time to answer it which also causes parents to lose their balance,” he explained.
“Falls are often a life-threatening experience for those aged 65 and over,” he said.
In the US, he continued, there are still many older people who prefer to use House phone still using cables. According to the US National Center for Health Statistics, adults over the age of 65 rely more on landlines.
In June 2020, 10.4 percent said they had a landline and did not have cell phone service. Only 35 percent of people this age actually use wireless, compared to more than 80 percent of adults aged 25 to 34.
Some experts also recommend that older adults get rid of their landlines to avoid potential harm.
Hudson said an easy solution to avoid the risk of falls in the elderly is to bring a cell phone. “Another safety tip is to avoid common exposed wires, not only from phones but other electronic devices as well. This reduces the tripping hazard,” he said.
According to CDC records, falls at age 65 years and older is a common occurrence in the US. In fact, according to the records CDC every day someone in this age group suffers from falls. Noted, about 36 million falls are reported among older adults every year.
Of these, around three million ended up needing to be treated for injury in the emergency department and 32 thousand elderly people die each year from falls. According to the CDC, falls are the leading cause of injury and death from injury for adults 65 years of age or older.
“Most of the falls are caused by a combination of risk factors. The more risk factors a person has, the more likely they are to fall.”
The CDC notes that there are several risk factors that increase the likelihood of falling in old age in addition to being weakened. One of the factors is vitamin D deficiency which causes difficulty walking and balance.
Then, the use of drugs that can affect balance, vision problems, foot pain, poor footwear, and dangers at home.
The CDC says there are other ways to make your home safer from falling. First, walk slowly when answering the phone or get rid of wired phones or electronic devices that use wires. This can make the house safer to protect against possible falls.
Another problem that can cause seniors to fall is the presence of stairs in the house. The best way, the occupants of the house must be able to minimize the potential for falling by
get rid of anything that could trip seniors up, such as paper, books, clothes, and other objects.
“You should also fix any loose or uneven risers, have an electrician install lights at the top and light switches at the top and bottom of the stairs, make sure your light bulbs are always working, check that your carpet is firmly attached on each rung or remove it. and install non-slip rubber treads, and repair loose or short handrails,” the CDC advises.
The CDC also recommends that indoors you can roll up or tape cables next to walls so they don’t scatter on the floor where you can trip and fall.
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