What If Mom Or Dad Fell And Nobody Was There To Help?
Falls among the older generation is a problem that is growing. Reports show that one out of three people over 65 fall each year. During 2009 there were over 2.2 million non-fatal falls but the results of the falls are often life changing. What if one of those people that fell was your mom or dad and nobody was there to help?
This is something that the baby boomers need to think about since we are entering that age ourselves. Some of us are lucky enough to still have our parents or other older loved ones with us but we need to take steps to protect them as well as taking taking proactive measures for ourselves.
Let me share a story about a friend named Stella. She is a petite young 75 year old that is vibrant and full of life. The first time I saw her I thought that she was in her forties. Blue eyed with sandy colored hair that is worn in stylish fashion or in a pony tail; she is one of those people that is fun to be around and hardly ever slows down.
She lives in the home she and her husband have shared for over 50 years. Her husband, Mel, passed away two years ago but she has insists the only way she is ever going to leave her home for good is in a wooden box. She does her own yard work and still has a nice garden in her rear yard.
Her daughter Sandy lives in a town about two hours away and visits her mom as often as possible but we all know that it’s not as often as many moms would like.
Stella had replaced her land line telephone with a cell phone after reviewing her budget. Luckily she and Mel had made some wise decisions with their financial planning and the money saved along with their investments allows her to live in comfort.
Last winter she planned to go to her daughter’s home to take care of the house and feed their horses while Sandy and her husband went on a two week vacation. Stella had told her neighbors that she was going and would be gone for several weeks.
As Stella was getting prepared to leave she slipped, wrenched her knee and fell while getting out of the shower. During the fall she also broke her right arm trying to prevent the fall and hit her head knocking her unconscious. She lay on the bath room tile floor for several hours and when she finally regained consciousness she found that she couldn’t get off the floor. Her broken arm and wrenched knee prevented her from being able to pull herself up. Unfortunately, her broken arm was a compound break and the bone was protruding through the skin and she was bleeding.
She covered herself with the towel as much as possible and tried to crawl out of the bath room but was unable to crawl very far because of the excruciating pain. She was able to fashion a crude tourniquet using the electrical cord from her hair dryer to slow the bleeding and was able to slow the blood flow.
Stella remembered that she left her cell phone on the bathroom vanity and she used the towel trying to toss it up and dragging the phone over to the edge and off the side. Unfortunately, the cell phone slid into the sink making it impossible to be drag to the floor.
The bathroom door swung inward so she was unable to maneuver herself out of the way and open the door at the same time so she was stuck until help arrived.
Her neighbors thought nothing about not seeing her because she told them she was going to her daughter’s home and she kept her car inside the garage with the door in a closed position.
Sandy, her daughter, became after she wasn’t able to contact her mother and her neighbors said they had not seen her. Sandy called the police and asked them to investigate. Approximately eight hours after her accident the police had to break into the house where they found Stella unconscious but alive.
Later she told me that she was embarrassed by the whole event and especially since the police had found her naked! Her dignity was hurt more than anything! I told her that she was very lucky to have survived the ordeal with no more injuries than she had.
Stella was definitely lucky but she still insists on living alone, although, she has taken steps to prevent that type of accident from happening again.
The intent of my story is to get you to thinking about the safety of your loved ones. The measures that you need to take are fairly simple; you just need to do some planning and take some definite proactive measures.
The question still remains; what would you do if your mom or dad fell while you were away and there was nobody there to help? How would you feel if something drastic occurred and you weren’t there?
For most people this would be devastating! Don’t let that happen to you!
One of the first things that you should do is get your mom and dad something that they can carry with them in case of an emergency!
Get a free brochure and get the information to protect your loved ones!
When To Exercise Caution
Most healthy adults can start moderate physical activity as soon as they're ready. If you have any of the following conditions, you should talk to your doctor before you begin:
- heart problems
- chest pains
- high blood pressure
- dizziness or balance problems
- asthma
- bone or joint problems
- diabetes
- any new, undiagnosed symptom, such as weakness or headaches
Here are some other tips to keep you safe when you're working out:
Check your environment. Be sure your exercise space is well-lit and free of things you can trip over, such as wires or loose carpet. Any equipment you're using should be in good working order. If you are exercising outdoors, tune into your neighborhood. Be sure it is safe, well-lit, has evenly paved roads or clear trails and sidewalks. Stay aware of the traffic and traffic lights as well. And if you are active when it is dark, wear bright colored clothing so you can be easily seen by motorists.
Warm up and cool down. Always warm up your body before you begin a workout. If you march in place, move your arms. After your workout, be sure to move more slowly to cool down and bring your heartbeat back to normal. Stretch after your workout while your muscles are still warm and to help avoid soreness.
Drink up. If you're planning to exercise for an hour or more, drink more water than you think you need before, during, and after exercise to avoid getting dehydrated. Drinking 10 to 16 ounces of water two hours before your activity will give your body time to get rid of extra liquid and offset fluid lost from sweating.
Wear proper safety gear. If you're biking or skating, wear a helmet that fits snugly. Wearing a bike helmet can cut your risk of serious head injury by up to 85 percent, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. Wrist, elbow, and knee pads add protection during skating.
Don't scrimp on gear and clothes. Make sure your gear and equipment are good quality, even though it might cost more. If you're a runner or hiker, invest in a good, sturdy pair of running or hiking shoes. And also consider having reflective strips on your clothing for exercising in the dark. If you're into cycling, buy a decent bike. Quality gear pays off. It will lower your risk of injury and last longer.
Don't mess with Mother Nature. Take the weather seriously if you're active outdoors. Be especially careful when it's very hot. Drink plenty of water, wear light clothing, and try to stay in the shade. Pay attention to air quality and try to work out when and where there are fewer cars on the road. Dress warmly and in layers when exercising in cold weather.
Listen to your body. "People know their bodies better than anyone else does," says Cinelli "A little soreness is common. But the soreness you feel should go away about 24-48 hours after your workout". If you notice any of the following symptoms, and they don't go away, see your doctor:
- lightheadedness
- shortness of breath
- sudden, severe headache
- excess sweating that's out of proportion to your level of exertion
- chest, stomach or any other pain
Regular physical activity has many health benefits. You'll build stronger bones and muscles, control your weight, and are able to fight colds and stress better. Work out safely and reap the rewards!
Fitness Safety
Many times, people jump right into a fitness routine, but quickly overdo it and hurt themselves. The result? Pain, frustration, and even trips to the doctor. But if you exercise with caution, your body will thank you.
"Our bodies are meant to move," says Patti Cinelli, an ACE personal fitness trainer who works with adults of all ages. "Some of us just don't move as much as we need to or as we used to. And there is a difference between the awakening of the body with movement and pain," Patti explains. "We want to awaken our bodies to movement, not push our bodies until they hurt."
Start Slow
If you're new to physical activity, haven't been active for a long time, or are trying a new sport, start out slowly. Build up your activity gradually so you don't get hurt.
For instance, if starting a walking program, begin by doing 10 minutes at a time. After a couple of weeks, you can increase your time to 20 minutes and then 30 minutes, 45 minutes, and eventually an hour. To realize health benefits, aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity, such as brisk walking, at least five days a week.
If you're starting a strength-training program, talk to a fitness instructor about how much weight to begin lifting, what exercises to do, how often, how to use the equipment correctly. Don't work the same muscles two days in a row. Instead, vary your activities daily to work different muscles and keep your routines interesting. Don't forget to warm up with some simple stretches before your routine, or by walking or marching in place.
For aerobic exercise – such as walking, cycling, or running – a good rule of thumb to see if you're working at the right pace is the "talk test." If you can't talk during the activity, you're working too hard. If you can belt out a show tune, you can pick up the pace.
