Every September during National Falls Prevention Week (Sept. 21-25, 2020), the Goodcare AtHome Rehab team joins other medical professions across the country in reminding Americans that falls are not just common among older Americans. They’re often debilitating, costly and even deadly. 

They’re also largely preventable, says Sioux Falls-based occupational therapist Jill Gabbert. 

“Everyone talks about fall prevention, but we approach it a little bit differently in that we’re very comprehensive about it,” said Gabbert, founder of Goodcare AtHome Rehab in Sioux Falls, Sioux City and Omaha. “With us, it’s not only about balance and strength. We get all disciplines involved so we can find out why falls are happening and how we can prevent them in the future.” 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that one in four Americans 65 and older experience a fall each year, with only about half the victims reporting the incident to a doctor or loved one. 

Of those falls, about one in every five result in a serious injury (i.e., a broken bone or head injury), leading to more than 3 million emergency room visits and 800,000 hospitalizations each year. In 2015, Gabbert said South Dakota ranked fifth in the U.S. in fall-related deaths, with half of them occurring in the home. 

Made up of occupational, physical, and speech therapists, the Goodcare AtHome Rehab team strives to combat this “fall epidemic” by leaving no stone unturned when considering the issues that cause – or may cause – falls.

“Balance and strength are factors, but there can be cognitive components involved,” Gabbert said. “We look at the home environment, lighting, eyesight, blood pressure, medications … even issues with urinary incontinence can cause falls. Then, based on our assessments, therapists develop strategies for addressing the root causes of these falls.”

Such strategies may be as simple as avoiding certain tasks, removing slipping/tripping hazards from the home, wearing better shoes, or getting a new pair of glasses. If the issue involves medication or other medical issues, the Goodcare AtHome Rehab therapy team will work with the patient’s primary health care providers to resolve these issues.

And, if the lack of strength and/or balance puts the senior at greater risk of falls, Goodcare AtHome Rehab therapists will personally work with clients to improve stability, whether they’re at home or living in a senior living community. 

To the loved ones of seniors who live independently, Gabbert advises they watch for signs that a fear of a falling may be taking affect. Most seniors, she said, won’t tell anyone if they’ve fallen or may fall for fear it may upend their lives.

Instead, they may become more sedentary and stop doing things like visiting friends, going to church, coming down for dinner, and so on. 

“Many seniors don’t want to be moved to a care facility or someplace similar, so they keep it to themselves,” Gabbert said. “They need to know that support is there through organizations like ours that can definitely help them in their efforts to stay home while also helping keep them from falling.”

If there’s a concern, the Goodcare AtHome Rehab team can provide clients with in-home fall assessments which, when there’s a medical issue involved, is typically covered by Medicare and private insurance. Such an assessment is a first step toward helping prevent falls while securing at-home independence. 

Goodcare AtHome Rehab also offers programs to help seniors live independently in their homes while avoiding falls.

One effort, called the Otago Exercise Program, is proven to help seniors reduce falls by 35 to 40 percent. Therapists will help seniors learn exercises specifically designed to prevent falls, then track progress through monthly visits and annual assessments. 

Goodcare AtHome Rehab also offers the Fit to Function program where a private-pay senior fitness specialist will visit seniors in their homes and provide individual fitness instruction. 

For more information about fall prevention, including in-home fall assessments, the Otago Exercise Program and Fit to Function, call Goodcare AtHome Rehab at (605) 231-2490.