Fall Prevention Strategies for Seniors at Home (podcast)
Fall risks increase as we age but can be reduced

Dr. Walter Biffl, Trauma Care, Scripps Clinic
Fall risks increase as we age but can be reduced
According to the National Council on Aging, one in three adults 64 and older — about 12 million people — suffers a fall each year. Annually, falls result in 2.8 million injuries so severe they necessitate a trip to the emergency room. Many factors can raise a person’s risk for a fall, including changes in vision, medication side effects and the natural loss of muscle strength as we get older. But there are precautions we can take to help protect ourselves and our loved ones.
In this episode of San Diego Health, host Susan Taylor and guest Walter Biffl, MD, medical director of trauma and acute care surgery at Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla, discuss various ways seniors can lower their risk of falling. His suggestions include incorporating exercises like walking or Tai Chi into your daily routine to keep up strength and balance, installing handrails on staircases and in the bathroom and removing obstacles in your home that could trip you up as you walk. A risk assessment during your annual physical is also a must.
Listen to the episode on fall prevention strategies
Listen to the episode on fall prevention strategies
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Watch the video on fall prevention.
Watch the San Diego Health video with host Susan Taylor and Dr. Biffl discussing fall prevention tips.