digest
Short Summary
Main recommendation: Reduce winter fall risk by avoiding unnecessary trips out in difficult weather, and when you must go out, wear proper footwear and use someone to hold onto or an assistive device such as a cane or walker. The speaker also stresses preventing falls because some people never fully recover from them, and points to free Intermountain classes as a resource.
Key Points
- Winter slickness on sidewalks, roadways, parking lots, and driveways creates real fall risk, even with only a small amount of snow.
- According to the speaker, over age 65, one in four people take a fall during the winter.
- Higher-risk groups include people with balance or strength problems, chronic medical conditions, medications that increase risk, and visual problems.
- Strength training is presented as useful even for older adults.
- Intermountain Healthcare is partnering with the Utah Division of Health and the Division of Aging to offer classes at local hospitals.
Details Worth Noting
- Concrete instructions:
- Avoid going out when weather is difficult if possible.
- If you must go out, wear proper footwear to reduce slipping risk.
- Have someone to hold onto, or use an assistive device like a cane or walker.
- Strength training, which the speaker says is good even for older folks.
- Get a vision exam if you are visually impaired.
- Talk to your doctor if you have issues with your medications.
- Consider therapy programs that offer stability, strengthening, and balance training, which are offered to the public.
- Free classes are offered in seven-week intervals, taught by specialists, at local hospitals.
- Information about the classes is available through Intermountain's website.
Bottom Line
Winter fall prevention relies mostly on limiting outings in bad weather, dressing for traction, using physical support, and addressing vision, strength, and medication issues before a fall happens.
