PUTNAM COUNTY, OH (WLIO) - Even though it is technically fall, that is one thing that local doctors don't want to see their patients doing.
The Putnam County Health Department, Council on Aging, HomeCare and Hospice, and The Meadows came together for their annual Fall Prevention Awareness Day. Doctor Jacinta Eickholt spoke to the group about the causes and prevention of falls. She says there is no main cause for falls, in fact, it is multiple factors. As people get older, they have multiple health issues and medications interplay with each other increasing the risk of falls. Doctor Eickholt says it is important for people to talk to their doctor, about the risk factors that could increase the risk for falls.
"There's a lot of common sense things that people can do for their own health," says Dr. Jacinta Eickholt, family physician and geriatrician. "Trying to make sure they are staying active and eating healthy, so increasing their overall strength that way and things in their house too. Making sure their walkways are clear, they have well lighting, they are always wearing good supported shoes that don't slip on and off. Getting rid of throw rugs. Things like that, that are often common sense but we just don't think about them till oftentimes bad like a fall happens."
Doctor Eickholt says if people have a fall to talk with their doctor because one of the biggest risks of having a fall in the future is having one in the past.
