00:00:08:00 - 00:00:19:18 Speaker 1 Prevent falls. Can we prevent them? Yes we can. We can diminish the amount of falls we have. 00:00:19:20 - 00:00:35:28 Speaker 2 One of the great joys in our life is to prolong our independence throughout our life. And if we don't fall, the odds are our chances are better of remaining independent. 00:00:36:00 - 00:00:41:18 Speaker 3 Slow down. Stop and think about your surroundings. 00:00:41:20 - 00:00:58:28 Speaker 4 When you lose your ability to do certain kinds of things and you fall. You can regain it if you work at it. 00:00:59:01 - 00:01:37:01 Speaker 2 A key word is balance. As we get older, our balance, if we are, don't address it, may become a problem. Taking care of a balance problem has to be an active process. It doesn't just happen. So that requires number one, be motivated to pay attention to this challenge. Number two, learn or get/seek help in what to do to challenge the balance. 00:01:37:03 - 00:02:17:27 Speaker 2 If you and then to follow through with doing it. And that doesn't mean just today. This is a lifestyle change. I'm not the youngest guy on the block any longer, and I every day start the day with a set of balance exercises because I do not feel comfortable that my balance is as good as it should be. Prevention is much better than treating the injury. 00:02:18:00 - 00:02:38:21 Speaker 3 When I get a new medication to help with that issue, I'm taught I've talked to the doctor or the doctor has talked to me about what some of the side effects might be, and when I get the prescription, I read all the papers that come with it, all the side effects, all that internal interaction that it might have. 00:02:38:21 - 00:03:10:17 Speaker 3 But I also talk to the pharmacist, and I've actually talked to them quite a bit about other medications over the counter medications that would work well with what I'm taking in the prescription. Talk to your pharmacist. They're the experts. They're the doctors of their field. 00:03:10:20 - 00:03:39:24 Speaker 3 Falls can happen to anyone. If you see something that looks a little dangerous or is like it's could head towards a fall, I feel myself that it's up a responsibility to say something to them. If they're a friend or family member. I've cautioned people just about sidewalks. If I see a sidewalk that's unsafe and I seen somebody going that way, I'll say, watch, watch the sidewalk up there. 00:03:39:24 - 00:04:09:29 Speaker 3 It's really uneven. If it's a family member, I might say, did you notice? You might have a little unsteadiness. Do you think you might want to address that with a cane or you know, what's going on just to talk about it. Have a conversation, but be gentle. Don't be judgmental. 00:04:10:02 - 00:04:50:03 Speaker 1 People can see you as a person who is just so very capable of, good in movement. And they don't realize that in an instant you can go down. And if people recognize or realize that you, besides them being vulnerable, the person they looked up to that was not perfect but moved so perfectly, never had fallen, can fall. 00:04:50:05 - 00:05:01:16 Speaker 1 And they think, oh, you know, if she or he did that, you know, it can happen to anyone. 00:05:01:18 - 00:05:41:02 Speaker 2 If we have fallen, we are at significant risk to fall again. A major step is to tell important people that can help you, that you have fallen. Most important people are the people you love with your care partner or spouse, a good friend. But most importantly, you want to tell your health care providers, be it your family, physician, your primary care provider isn't aware of what's happening. 00:05:41:05 - 00:05:56:09 Speaker 2 Make sure somebody tells them so that they can be of help to you. 00:05:56:12 - 00:06:17:17 Speaker 4 Don't hurry. Don't run. Plan ahead and look for fall risks when you fall hard. And you know what heart is when it happens. Don't jump up. Inventory yourself. How bad was that fall? Did I lose consciousness? Is there anything broken? Did I hit my head? Am I bleeding seriously? And don't look at the first person who rushes up to you. 00:06:17:19 - 00:06:27:05 Speaker 4 Get you to your feet. Get up on your terms and in your good time. It's embarrassing to fall, but it can be more hurtful if you don't take care of yourself. 00:06:27:08 - 00:06:43:15 Speaker 2 We do not want to give up our independence. That is the reason you tell people don't fall and take the steps that are necessary to prevent falling. 00:06:43:18 - 00:06:44:27 Speaker 3 Prevention is the key.