Q: In the past few months I have had several friends laid up because of falls. I believe this is one of the most serious things that can happen to a senior. Do you agree, and, if so do you have any hints on how to avoid falls especially in the home?
A: Yes, I do agree. A fall in itself is bad enough but it can and many times does result in additional problems. Some victims never fully recover from the effects of a fall.
While not every fall can be prevented many can be and so a little pre-thought on behalf of the senior and family can help reduce such occurrences.
A fall can occur in any room of the house but there are several rooms that can prove to be more dangerous than others.
Let’s take the smallest room in the house — the bathroom. Much can go wrong here. A wet, soapy floor, tub or shower can be more slippery than a skating rink and just getting in or out of the shower or tub can throw one off balance.
Grab bars should be installed in all bathrooms and skid proof flooring would help eliminate the skating rink condition.
The next most dangerous room is probably the kitchen. Again spills can make the floor slippery. Partially open drawers and cabinet doors can throw seniors off balance when they try to avoid them or bump into them.
A little effort to make sure that spills are wiped up and drawers and doors are always closed when not in use will help eliminate a dangerous situation.
Stairs can be deadly. There can be unsecured handrails, slippery conditions, loose carpeting, poor lighting and objects left on the steps. Handrails should go from the very first step to the very last step and they should be securely attached to the studs in the wall.
Light switches should be at both the top and bottom of the stairs so they can be turned on when ascending or descending.
Other rooms can also create dangerous conditions because of poor lighting, cluttered walkways, lamp cords and throw or scatter rugs.
Perhaps we should all take time to review each room in our homes or those homes of aging loved ones to see if we have any conditions that should be corrected and thus ensure a fall-free environment.
These are just a few suggestions to get you started.
Q: In the past you have provided information about the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute program known as “OLLI”. Do you have any information about the upcoming fall session?
A: Your question is very timely as just last week I was provided with the fall class catalog.
First, for those readers who don’t know what “OLLI” is here is a brief explanation. The OSHER Lifelong Learning Institute, better known as “OLLI” at CSU Channel Islands serves those who believe that “curiosity never retires.” It offers an adventure in academia to adults over 50 years old with classes in lecture and discussion format with — no grades — no tests — no homework for those who are still in love with learning.
Fall classes will start the week of Sept. 5. This semester classes will be held at six locations: CSU Channel Islands Broome Library in Camarillo, CSU Channel Islands Extended University Satellite Campus in Thousand Oaks, Little House in Ojai — Kent Hall, Leisure Village Recreation Center Garden Room in Camarillo, Ventura Adult and Continuing Education Ron Hall in Ventura and Agoura Hills Recreation and Event Center in Agoura Hills.
Class subjects are varied and include, just to name a few, Ventura County Water: The Master Course, The Twilight Zone: Television’s First Masterpiece, New Kingdom Egyptian Art, The Later Novels of Pat Conroy, Adventures in Music and The Police: What Life on the Street is Really Like. There is something for everyone’s interest.
For more information search “OLLI” at CI on the web for the latest fall course information or call 437-2748 for information or to register for a class or two.
