Tripping and falling, the second-most cited cause of death for people aged 65 or older, deserves more attention, as Taiwan this year officially becomes a super-aged society, health experts said.
A super-aged society is defined as when an aging population makes up 20 percent of the whole.
Citing Ministry of Health and Welfare statistics, Health Promotion Administration (HPA) Deputy Director-General Wei Hsi-lun (魏璽倫) said on Tuesday that one out of six elderly people have slipped and fallen, while one out of 12 have sought medical treatment for such issues.
Photo: Lin Liang-che, Taipei Times
Taiwan Restorative Care Promotion Association director and occupational therapist Cheng Meng-hsiu (鍾孟修) offered four suggestions to prevent falls.
There are internal and external factors causing elderly people to be more prone to falling, Chung said.
Internal reasons include body functions regressing, chronic diseases, changes to cognitive functions or the patient’s nervous systems, the patient being affected by medication, or the mental state of fear of falling, he said.
Chung added that external factors include the environment, inadequate support equipment, wearing unsuitable shoes and weather.
Actions to help prevent falling should focus on improving vision, hearing, mobility and nutrition, Chung said.
Using visual aids, such as glasses with proper correction, using magnification lenses to help people better identify possible obstacles and improved lighting in the house would help improve vision, he said.
Annual check-ups should be the norm, and if necessary, glasses should be changed to have proper visual corrections, Chung said.
People who are hard of hearing should use hearing aids, as it makes them more alert and delays regression of cognitive functions, he said, adding that environmental sounds within the home should be reduced and safety reminders installed.
Elderly people are encouraged to exercise regularly to maintain muscle mass and their sense of balance, as such acts help them maintain proper pacing and reduce the risk of falling, he said.
Chung suggested placing anti-slip mats and handlebars where elderly people frequent, adding that homes should remove clutter to ensure a safer walking environment.
Nutritionally, elderly people should mind their hydration levels and have a protein-rich diet, while ensuring they keep up on calcium and vitamin D supplements, he said.
A balanced diet and adequate exposure to sunlight would ensure that people have sufficient calcium, protein and vitamin D sources, Chung added.
Taiwan is stepping up plans to create self-sufficient supply chains for combat drones and increase foreign orders from the US to counter China’s numerical superiority, a defense official said on Saturday. Commenting on condition of anonymity, the official said the nation’s armed forces are in agreement with US Admiral Samuel Paparo’s assessment that Taiwan’s military must be prepared to turn the nation’s waters into a “hellscape” for the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA). Paparo, the commander of the US Indo-Pacific Command, reiterated the concept during a Congressional hearing in Washington on Wednesday. He first coined the term in a security conference last
Prosecutors today declined to say who was questioned regarding alleged forgery on petitions to recall Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) legislators, after Chinese-language media earlier reported that members of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Youth League were brought in for questioning. The Ministry of Justice Investigation Bureau confirmed that two people had been questioned, but did not disclose any further information about the ongoing investigation. KMT Youth League members Lee Hsiao-liang (李孝亮) and Liu Szu-yin (劉思吟) — who are leading the effort to recall DPP caucus chief executive Rosalia Wu (吳思瑤) and Legislator Wu Pei-yi (吳沛憶) — both posted on Facebook saying: “I
The Ministry of Economic Affairs has fined Taobao NT$1.2 million (US$36,912) for advertisements that exceed its approved business scope, requiring the Chinese e-commerce platform to make corrections in the first half of this year or its license may be revoked. Lawmakers have called for stricter enforcement of Chinese e-commerce platforms and measures to prevent China from laundering its goods through Taiwan in response to US President Donald Trump’s heavy tariffs on China. The Legislative Yuan’s Finance Committee met today to discuss policies to prevent China from dumping goods in Taiwan, inviting government agencies to report. Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Kuo Kuo-wen (郭國文) said
The Ministry of Economic Affairs has fined Taobao NT$1.2 million (US$36,900) for advertisements that exceeded its approved business scope and ordered the Chinese e-commerce platform to make corrections in the first half of this year or its license would be revoked. Lawmakers have called for stricter supervision of Chinese e-commerce platforms and more stringent measures to prevent China from laundering its goods through Taiwan as US President Donald Trump’s administration cracks down on origin laundering. The legislature’s Finance Committee yesterday met to discuss policies to prevent China from dumping goods in Taiwan, inviting government agencies to report on the matter. Democratic Progressive Party
RSS