The number of older people attending Altnagelvin Hospital’s Accident and Emergency Department increased by 11% last year, the Western Health Trust has revealed.
Almost 80% of older people’s trauma recorded at the hospital’s casualty department happened at home.
Joanne Doherty, Injury Prevention Officer with the Western Health Trust, said the risk of falling and falling-related problems rose with age and statistic showed some injuries in the home can prevented.
She added: ” Last year (2013) we noticed an increase of 11% in Altnagelvin Emergency Department attendances by older people.
“Although falls can happen anywhere, 79% of all older people’s trauma recorded in Altnagelvin Accident Department last year happened at home.”
The bedroom, garden and living room are the most common locations in the home for unintentional injuries.
The causes of injury were largely due to falls from a height or on the same level.
Ms Doherty said: “Falls at home often happen while a person is doing normal daily activities.
“Some of these falls are caused by factors in the house.
“For instance, reaching in a high cupboard, a wet floor or a poorly lit hallway may lead to a fall.”
Other factors that can lead to falls at home include:
:: Getting up too quickly once waking
:: Loose carpets and mats
:: Wet floors
:: Clutter on the floor or stairs
:: Carrying heavy or bulky things up or down stairs.
She added: “Simple changes can help make your home safer: turn lights on in the bedroom, keep your floor clutter free, ask someone to help you if you’re trying to reach something at a height and wear appropriate footwear outdoors.”
Ms Doherty concluded: “Watch the Home Accident Prevention Northern Ireland DVD – Wise Up…Watch Your Step which features our Acting Medical Director Alan McKinney explaining the effect falls can have on older people and to prevent accidents in the home: http://www.westerntrust.hscni.net/services/AccidentandEmergency.htm.”
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