Will  Any  of  Your  Clients  Fall  Down  Today? Y ou  can't  answer  that  question  for  sure,  can  you?    It's  impossible  to  know  exactly which  client  might  fall  down.   But,  you  can  learn  all about  the  different  reasons  why clients  fall.    Then,  by  using  what  you know  in  your  daily job,  you  can  help  your  clients avoid  future  falls.   D id  you  know  that  about  one  third  of  elderly  people  who  live  in their  own  homes  have a  problem  with  falling?      Some  of  them are  hurt  badly  from  a  fall,  often  breaking  a  hip.    Some  of  them  fall down  often  and  their families  worry  about  them  living  alone.   So, because  of  falling,  many  elderly  people  find  it  necessary  to  live  in  a nursing  home,  or  other  similar  facility. W hat's  the  big  deal?    Doesn't  everybody fall  down  in their  life?    Little  kids  do  it  all  the  time  without breaking  their  hips.   One  reason  for  this  is  that  kids  tend  to fall  forward  onto  their hands and  knees.    When  older  people fall,  they  often  land  hard  on  their  bottoms  or  backs,  putting lots of  pressure  on  their hips.    Keep  in  mind  that  over 200,000  older  people  break  a  hip  every  year! A s  a  nursing  assistant,  you give  your  clients  excellent  care.    You work  hard  every day to  make  sure they  are  clean,  warm,  fed,  comfortable, and  safe.   With  many  clients, the  hardest  part  of  your  job  is  to  keep  them  safe.   For  very  few  clients, the  best  answer might  be to  use  some  kind of  restraint,  if ordered  by  the doctor.    But  for  most  clients, there  are  much  better ways  to  keep  them  safe.    Knowing  all  you can  about  why  people fall  is  the  first  step. Copyright  1999  In  the  Know,  Inc.   May be  copied for  use  within  each physical  location that purchases  membership in the Inservice  Club. The  Inservice  Club  for  Nursing  Assistants Falls  are  the  leading cause  of  accidental death  in  people  over age  65. ...National  Safety  Council IN  THE  KNOW