The Male Health Center

Before the Fall

Simple steps to make life a less-dangerous experience
When you think of health threats to people in their later years, what ailments come to mind? Cancer? Heart disease? Stroke?

Yes, those are problems that each of us needs to consider. But how about falls? Would you have guessed that falls are the sixth-leading cause of death for people older than 70?

As we grow older, the risk of falling rises in a straight line, while the risk of being injured in a fall rises in an ever-steepening curve. A third of all people 65 and older take a fall each year; falls are the reason for 40 percent of all admissions to nursing homes.

If you're getting on in your years, or care for someone who is, it's high time you fall-proof your home. And even if you're still a little short of your golden years, the following steps will make home a safer place to be.

Cover smooth floors with tacked-down carpets; avoid throw rugs.
Keep walkways clear of obstacles such as shoes, toys, wastebaskets, and electrical cords.
Put nonslip strips on the floor of showers and bathtubs.
Consider installing grab rails in the bathroom near the toilet and the tub or shower; at the least, towel racks should be secured with wall anchors.
Light the path from the bedroom to the bathroom at night.
Mark the top and bottom treads on stairways with glow-in-the-dark tape.

You can also do a lot to fall-proof yourself. Regular exercise helps maintain the strength and coordination you need to avoid falls, and it also helps keep bones strong to prevent injuries when you do fall. Many older Americans have gotten the word about endurance exercise; walking now seems to be nearly as popular as bridge. That's a great start—it will help protect your heart and give you more energy—but it's only a start.

You also need to maintain muscular strength as you grow older, and that means lifting weights. Not long ago, weight lifting was thought to be for young body builders, but we now know that it helps the elderly at least as much as it does the young. People in their 80s can add muscle as rapidly as a 20-year-old, and it dramatically improves their mobility and agility.

So tidy up where you live—house and body—for a safer, happier retirement. We all get older, but we don't have to fall for it.

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