Our feet play an important role in keeping us healthy by helping to maintain our independence, mobility and keeping us physically active. In our youth, we often take things for granted but as we age simple things like cutting our toenails become more challenging. It is no longer as easy to reach our feet and poor vision as well as changes to the structure of our feet, make foot care more difficult. Chronic conditions such as diabetes, osteoarthritis, kidney disease, high blood pressure, being overweight, peripheral vascular disease (poor circulation) and peripheral neuropathy (loss of sensation), put us at risk of developing foot problems. Continue reading “Caring For Your Feet Can Prevent Falls”
Did you Remove Hazards this campaign?
The Remove Hazards campaign has come to an end after a three-month focus on creating safe environments as well as looking after your eyesight and feet to reduce the risk of falls and promote healthy ageing. While the Remove Hazards campaign saw new COVID-19 restrictions, in the spirit of Remove Hazards, Injury Matters navigated this obstacle in our path to deliver a range of activities for the community and health professionals.
Don’t be alarmed! Having a personal alarm can keep you safe at home for longer
Personal alarms are small wearable pendants that you can use to get help if you fall. When pressed, it sends a message or call to either your own emergency contacts or a 24/7 monitoring team who can arrange help. By getting help quickly, you have a higher chance of getting back on your feet quicker.
Home care providers such as Silver Chain have a range of personal alarms which you can rent or own. Continue reading “Don’t be alarmed! Having a personal alarm can keep you safe at home for longer”
4,000 Australian seniors hospitalised each year from ladder falls
Every year, over 4,000 Australians are hospitalised following a fall from a ladder, with men aged 60-64 being the most susceptible. A recent ladder study conducted by Neuroscience Research Australia (NueRA) found that unsafe ladder use was more common in males especially those with a low fear of falling.
Continue reading “4,000 Australian seniors hospitalised each year from ladder falls”
Is your eyesight changing? Here are five signs that you need to get your eyes checked
Vision is important for our balance and gait however, as we age it is common for our visual function to decrease. Having impaired vision or underlying eye conditions can increase your risk of having a fall, as it’s harder for you to see hazards such as uneven footpaths, edges of steps or objects, and spills on the floor.
Regular eye health checks with your optometrist or ophthalmologist are recommended. Even if you think all is fine, things like age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and glaucoma often don’t have early symptoms. An eye test can detect the early signs of eye conditions before the symptoms occur, many of which can be treated.
Here are five signs that you need to get your eyes checked.
Age-related Macular Degeneration
Our vision helps us to maintain our balance and identify hazards and obstacles in our environment that we can then navigate around. As we age our vision deteriorates and these changes can be very gradual so they may be ignored or unnoticed. Living with vision loss impacts quality of life and independence and increases the risk of falls among older Australians. Continue reading “Age-related Macular Degeneration”
Top tips for supporting clients with low vision
As people age, it is common for their visual function to decrease, which is associated with an increased risk of falling. Older adults with vision loss are twice as likely to fall than older adults without low or no vision. Vision plays a key role in the balance control required to carry out daily activities with older adults relying more heavily on visual information to maintain their balance.
People who are blind or have low vision have special needs for interpreting their environment. By following simple guidelines, you can help make their time in a clinical setting friendlier.
Continue reading “Top tips for supporting clients with low vision”
The Remove Hazards campaign launches today!
The Stay On Your Feet® Remove Hazards campaign encourages older adults to remove potential hazards and create a safe home environment to prevent falls and to promote healthy ageing as well as looking after their eyes and feet.
Continue reading “The Remove Hazards campaign launches today!”
Move Your Body grants are now open!
Applications for Stay On Your Feet® Move Your Body grants are now open. Grants of up to $5,000 (plus GST) are available and will fund projects running between 1 September and 30 November 2022.
The Move Your Body key messages and calls to action focus on the importance of building strength and balance to prevent falls and promote healthy ageing.
Congratulations to successful Remove Hazards grant recipients
Congratulations to the City of Albany Public Library and West Arthur Community Resource Centre as the successful Stay On Your Feet® Remove Hazards grant recipients.
Continue reading “Congratulations to successful Remove Hazards grant recipients”
