Falls in the Elderly
Falls are one of the most common causes of both fatal and non-fatal injuries for older men and women. In fact, elderly falls result in more than 2.8 million injuries treated in emergency departments across the US annually. This includes over 800,000 hospitalizations and more than 27,000 deaths. These numbers may be scary, but those of us at Mount Carmel are doing our part to help mitigate this problem.
We believe that falls are not the result of a single cause, but rather the result of a combination of risks and factors.
You’re at risk of falling if you experience:
- Dizziness
- Unsteadiness
- A recent period of bed rest or inactivity
- Taking one or more medications
- Loss of feeling in the legs or feet
- Loss of strength in the legs or feet
- Lack of confidence in your ability to move around
Don’t just blame your loss of balance and mobility on your age—there could be a serious problem occurring. We will do a complete balance assessment to determine the underlying causes and come up with a treatment plan that offers relief from balance issues and protection against falls that could lead to life-limiting complications.
The Balance Master Program
Balance Master therapy is one of the most innovative and sophisticated senior care and rehab programs in the country, and Mount Carmel is the only short term rehab center in all of Missouri to offer it. Therapists use it to evaluate balance concerns, treat problems, and identify other potential issues that can be related to walking, standing, dizziness or other chronic mobility disorders.
Originally developed by NASA to help evaluate the equilibrium of space shuttle crews, it offers the most advanced balance testing and treatment equipment available today. Balance Master is credited with allowing John Glenn to return to space at the age of 77.
Short Term Rehab
The Balance Master program at Mount Carmel simply helps prevent falls from happening.
Our medical professionals are specially trained in the evaluation and treatment of balance disorders. We will perform specific tests to determine your ability to maintain your balance as well as your risk for falling. These include:
- Computerized equilibrium test – evaluates the motor and sensory parts within your balance system.
- Sensory test – assesses the three sensory systems that contribute to balance control: eyes, inner ears, sense of touch in your joints and feet.
- Motor test – measures your ability to execute both voluntary and involuntary coordinated movements while still maintaining your balance.
All of these tests combined will help define the cause of your balance problem and will help your balance specialist come up with a custom treatment plan for maximized benefit. Balance therapy is available to residents and patients who participate in outpatient therapy at Mount Carmel. Contact us today to start your treatment plan!
“I suffered sciatic nerve damage, which caused paralysis from the knees down. The therapy was great and the staff was very nice. I was able to return home, go to the gym, drive and improve my mobility. Mount Carmel has every service available and is the best around.”
-Erv Ermeling, Former Skilled Patient
