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(HealthNewsDigest.com) – Huntsville, AL-September 23, 2010 – What if there’s a fall and nobody’s there to help?
It’s a question millions of American families with aging loved ones ask every day. Seniors prefer to live at home where it’s safe, comfortable and affordable – but someone with the ability to help needs to be close by, just in case. That’s why Halo Monitoring, maker of myHalo, the most advanced fall detection system, is urging families to observe Fall Prevention Awareness Day on the first full day of fall, September 23rd. Falls Prevention Awareness Day was created by the Center for Healthy Aging of National Council on Aging, as a way to highlight the need for increased efforts to reduce the leading cause of fatal and nonfatal injuries to older adults.
The U.S. Senate passed a resolution marking the day.
“Staying active, regular review of all medications makes your home safer are all proven ways to reduce the risk of falling,” says Chris Otto, CEO of Halo Monitoring. “However it’s important that families understand that despite all precautions, accidents still happen. But Fall Prevention Awareness Day is a good time to encourage health care providers, caregivers and family members to assess older patients and family members for fall risk factors, modify their living arrangements and if needed, utilize a medical alert system.”
The statistics detailing the dangers of seniors and falling are alarming. The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports:
* One of three senior adults falls each year.
* In 2007, 18,000 older Americans dies from fall related injuries.
* In 2008, 2.1 million older Americans were injured in falls.
The concern surrounding seniors and falling gained more attention recently with the release of a report by Australian and Belgian researchers who studied 500 seniors for an actual and perceived risk of falling. Their study concluded older people who have a fear of falling are at increased risk for future falls, regardless of their actual risk of tumbling. The study recommended families and caregivers assess both a seniors actual and perceived fall risk because both contribute independently to person’s risk of falling.
“Although most people had an accurate perception of their fall risk, about one-third of the elders either underestimated or overestimated their risk of falling,” according to Stephen Lord, of the Falls and Balance Research Group, Prince of Wales Medical Research Institute at the University of New South Wales. More active seniors have a high actual fall risk but viewed the risk as low, an attitude researchers associated with physical activity and a positive outlook on life. That perception helped protect the more active group against falls.
Despite takes precautions against falls, because of the risk, families are turning to fall alert devices for additional protection and peace of mind. Robin Sanders bought a myHalo monitoring system for her 77 year old mother-in-law Elizabeth Madison who lives in Roseville, MN. myHalo is the leader in a new generation of monitoring devices that automatically detects a fall and calls for help without the need to push a panic button.
“After Elizabeth fell in the basement and almost hit her head we agreed we needed a monitoring device,” said Sanders. “About one month later she again fell in the basement and her husband was upstairs and unaware. Halo Monitoring saw what happened and called the house as well as notified me. We all feel better knowing the system is there.”
“I felt so alone when I fell, it was a real wakeup knowing what can happen,” adds Madison. “I don’t have that fear of falling anymore. Now I feel secure, and I know I also have a panic button if there is an emergency.”
The good news for families with elderly loved ones is that technology now allows seniors to remain at home while their physical activity is monitored. Besides alerting medical personnel and family of a fall, myHalo is also the first system of its kind to use a secure web portal to allow family members or designated caregivers the ability to check on an elderly loved ones situation without invading a senior’s privacy.
“Falling is not an inevitable result of aging and though families do all they can to protect their elderly loved ones, myHalo is there to provide security and peace of mind,” adds Otto.
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