Tuesday is National Fall Prevention Awareness Day, and Tulsa Community College is holding a wellness fair to help lessen seniors’ risk of falling.
One-third of adults older than 65 fall each year. Physical therapist Melanie Heffington said falling can have a big impact on the length and quality of seniors’ lives.
"One in five persons who have a hip fracture will die within a year from that injury, and one in three who priorly lived independently will remain in a nursing home for at least a year after," Heffington said.
Nationwide, an older adult dies every 29 minutes as a result of a fall. Heffington said at-risk seniors should talk to their doctors about physical therapy, remove hazards from their homes and check their medications.
"Just by being on four medications or more, an individual is at an increased risk for falls, so just making sure that all the medications that you're on are appropriate for you is a great thing," Heffington said.
Participants in the wellness fair will receive blood pressure screenings, medication reviews and balance tests. The fair is at 815 S Cincinnati Ave. from 9:30 a.m. to noon.
