Are You or a Loved One at Risk of a Fall?
At Bedford Medical Alert, we work closely with healthcare professionals, caregivers and families to provide medical alert response services to suit the needs of our clients. We are proud of the peace of mind we provide clients and their families by delivering a service that will alert EMS, or loved ones, when an individual is in need of medical assistance. Though families can’t be by the side of Mom or Dad 24/7, they feel much better knowing that help is there when it’s needed.
Calls about falls reach our monitoring centre around the clock, from seniors themselves and from worried family members. We hope the following information will help families identify the factors that increase the risk of a fall and help prevent falls before they happen.
Is Your Parent or Loved One at Risk of a Fall?
About one in five community-dwelling Canadian seniors reports a fall each year, and falls are the leading cause of injury-related hospitalization among Canadian seniors (Public Health Agency of Canada). In 2022, 7,189 older Canadians died from falls (PHAC surveillance, 2024).
What factors will increase your risk of a fall?
Your risk of a fall will increase if you:
- Have had a fall before
- Are scared of falling
- Feel weak, tired or dizzy
- Are experiencing a tingling or numbness in your legs or feet
- Experience problems with feet or shoes
- Have lower body weakness
- Feel unsteady, shaky or are having difficulty walking
- Have poor vision or eye-sight has changed
- Are feeling forgetful or confused
- Experience a need to rush to the bathroom
Around the home, there may be factors that will also increase your risk of a fall including the following:
- Lack of stair handrails
- Poor stair design
- Slippery or uneven surfaces
- Obstacles or tripping hazards
- Improper use of assistive devices
- For room-by-room fixes, see our fall prevention guide for Canadian homes.
Certain medications may also put you at risk of falling.
These medications include the following:
- Sleeping pills
- Seizure medications
- Pain medications
- Intravenous or IV fluids
- Laxatives
- Diuretics
If you are taking any of the above medications or your medications change to include the above, please talk to your healthcare team about how you can prevent falls. Our guide to medications that increase fall risk in seniors covers what to ask your pharmacist.
The Public Health Agency of Canada publishes national falls data and prevention guidance for seniors and caregivers in its surveillance report on falls among older adults.
Social and Community Services to Help You
There are many social services and community resources available for you and your family to help prevent falls in the home.
The following is a list of agencies and resources available in your community:
Falls Prevention Programs
For free classes to help maintain balance and strength or prevent falls:
https://www.ontario.ca/page/exercise-and-falls-prevention-programs
On-line Resources:
www.CentralHealthline.ca
Ontario Health atHome (home and community care, including physiotherapy and falls-prevention support):
https://ontariohealthathome.ca/
About Bedford Medical Alert
Proudly Canadian Owned and Operated, Bedford Medical Alert provides you or your loved one with medical alert response services for the home and on-the-go. With the push of a button or the automatic detection of a fall, we connect you with the help you need, at home or on the go.
If you would like some more information for yourself or a loved one on our medical alert response services, please call us today at 1-888-755-3055.
