New York Personal Injury Lawyer Kenneth A. Wilhelm Offers the Elderly Five Tips to Help Prevent Falls
New York, NY (PRWEB) October 11, 2013 -- The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that each year, one in every three adults age 65 or older falls and suffers injuries. Among older adults, falls are the leading cause of fatal and non-fatal injuries and in 2010 alone, 2.3 million injuries among older adults were treated in emergency rooms and more than 662,000 of these patients were hospitalized, according to the CDC. Also during that year, the direct medical cost of falls was $30 billion, the report states.
According to CDC, the most common injuries suffered by seniors when they take a fall include traumatic brain injuries or head injuries, hip injuries, fractures, lacerations and back injuries. Common fractures that result from these incidents include fractures of the spine, hip, forearm, leg, ankle, pelvis, upper arm and hand, the report states. CDC findings show that many elderly people who fall, even when they are not injured, develop a fear of falling, which may cause them to limit their activities.
New York personal injury lawyer Kenneth A. Wilhelm, who represents victims of slip-and-fall and trip-and-fall injuries, says it is very much possible to avoid these types of accidents, which end up causing the elderly their mobility and independence. "A number of these accidents occur in homes as well as in care facilities such as nursing homes or assisted living centers. When the right safety measures are taken the probability of such an accident happening can be significantly reduced."
Here are five tips Wilhelm offers to help prevent fall accidents involving the elderly:
• Wear shoes that have proper tread and grip. If you are using devices such as walkers or canes, make sure they are properly fitted and that you are aware of how and when to use them.
• Make sure that you get your vision checked and wear the right prescription glasses.
• Review all your medications with your doctor. If a medication can make you drowsy, you should not walk after taking it.
• Maintain good physical fitness by regularly doing exercises that can maintain or improve your balance, flexibility and strength.
• Make sure that your living space is conducive for walking by improving lighting, keeping spaces clear of debris and removing slippery rugs or mats that can cause you to lose your footing.
About the Law Offices of Kenneth A. Wilhelm
The Law Offices of Kenneth A. Wilhelm is a personal injury litigation firm with an unwavering dedication to its clients. With more than 41 years of experience, our firm strives to obtain the best compensation for those who have been injured or those who have lost a loved one due to an accident or by someone else's negligence. We handle cases dealing with personal injury, medical malpractice, wrongful death, workers' compensation, dental malpractice, motor vehicle accidents, rape, paralysis, comas, seizures, false arrest, lead poisoning, trips and slips and falls, elevator accidents, construction accidents, Erb's palsy, cerebral palsy, brain damage, blindness, hearing loss, dog bite cases, fire and smoke inhalation accidents, bicycle accidents, falls from windows or scaffolds, and many other types of accidents and injuries.
Please contact us toll-free 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 1-800-WORK-4-YOU (1-800-967-5496). We can even come to you. There is no attorneys' fee unless we recover money for you. We can also help with personal injury cases in New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, or Florida. If you have been seriously injured in any of the 50 U.S. states, please call us and we will try to help you with your case.
Other toll-free phone numbers for us are:
1-800-RADIO-LAW, 1-888-WYPADEK, or 1-800-LAS-LEYES
The Law Offices of Kenneth A. Wilhelm
445 Park Ave, 9th Floor
New York, NY 10022
(212) 545-7373
Please visit us at: http://www.WORK4YOULAW.com
Kenneth A. Wilhelm, The Law Offices Of Kenneth A. Wilhelm, http://www.work4youlaw.com, (212) 545-7373, [email protected]
Share this article