Falling is one of the most serious situations related to senior care, and every year thousands of aging adults experience serious injuries related to slipping and falling. Senior home services do a tremendous amount to try to protect seniors from falling. Most of these efforts revolve around rearranging the furniture in the home, removing tripping obstacles such as rugs or other small items that could get under the feet of a senior and cause of fall, or installing a variety of grab bars and banisters throughout the home that provide additional support for a senior experiencing mobility issues. Recent studies, however, have shown that one of the most important things that seniors can do in order to prevent falls and promote bone health is adding vitamin D to their diet.
Though it is not fully understood why, studies have shown that seniors who take a vitamin D supplement and participate in regular physical exercise have a far lower risk of experiencing a serious fall. The numbers are truly stunning:
By reducing the risk of falling by just 13 percent, instead of there being an expected 30 falls among everyone hundred senior adults, there would only be 26. This reduction means that four seniors who may have experienced very serious falls and related injuries will be protected.
It is important to note that the power of vitamin D supplementation is always studied in conjunction with exercise. Vitamin D is known to help improve bone health and encourage better absorption of calcium, while physical exercise is also known to support the health of the bones and connective tissue. Some suspected that this is the true reason behind fewer falls among seniors who take vitamin D supplements and exercise. Combining these two forces creates a healthier body that is less susceptible to balance issues and immobility. Though it is only one step among many that should be taken in order to help protect seniors from falling and injuring themselves, any element of senior care that can help an aging adult enjoy a longer and healthier life is worth doing.
For more information about how the caregivers at La Jolla Nurses Homecare can help your family with senior care, call (858) 454-9339. We are an elder care agency providing quality and affordable senior care in La Jolla CA, and the surrounding communities.
