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By rdnewsNOW Staff

PSA

Injury Prevention Centre offers winter tips for avoiding falls

Nov 5, 2024 | 4:31 PM

Partnering together, Alberta Blue Cross and and the Alberta Injury Prevention Centre encourage Albertans to take steps to prevent fall-related injuries as a part of their annual Finding Balance campaign.

November marks Falls Prevention Month and according to the Injury Prevention Centre, falls are the leading cause of injury among older adults. As our bodies change with age, we naturally become more prone to falls.

“Falls are something many of us experience in our lives and can have a significant impact on the lifestyle and independence of an older adult,” comments Kathy Belton, director of the Injury Prevention Centre. “It’s important to bring attention and awareness to falls prevention to empower older adults to stay independent and prevent falls.”

Finding Balance is an educational and public awareness campaign designed to inform and empower older Albertans to stay independent and prevent falls.

“With the arrival of winter, the streets, sidewalks and steps we use daily become ice-coated obstacle courses,” says Brian Geislinger, senior vice-president of corporate relations and community engagement with Alberta Blue Cross. “With this in mind, we encourage everyone—particularly older adults—to take precautions to prevent falls and stay safe.”

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Representatives say every year, one in three older Albertans will take a fall. The Injury Prevention Centre offers the following tips for staying safe on slippery winter surfaces:

• Take your time and avoid rushing.
• Wear shoes or boots with a wide, flat heel.
• Choose footwear with soles that stay flexible in the cold.
• Make sure footwear has the proper amount of grip – not too much and not too little.
• Wear ice grips over your shoes or boots to get better grip. Remove ice grips when indoors because they can be slippery.
• If you use a cane, put a retractable ice pick on the end of it.
• Carry a small bag or container of sand to sprinkle on icy spots you cannot avoid.
• Keep your hands free for gripping handrails or supports.
• Walk like a penguin—bend slightly and walk flat-footed with your feet pointed out slightly like a penguin. Take shorter, shuffle-like steps, keep your arms at your sides (not in your pockets) and go S-L-O-W-L-Y.