Did you know that a simple thing such as tripping on a rug or slipping on a wet floor can change your life? Falls are a major public health problem around the world. People who fall might suffer a disability, especially older people. This will affect their quality of life, not to mention the financial burden that comes with the long-term care and hospitalization.

Anyone is at risk of falling, but older people have the highest risk of serious fractures or even death arising from a fall. Even though a fall does not necessary means breaking a bone, people who experienced it will become fearful of falling again. Most are unaware of the link between a fall or broken bone and osteoporosis.

There are a few ways that we can do to prevent falls especially at home, such as:

• Repair or remove tripping hazards
• Install grab bars or handrails
• Install brighter light bulbs around the house
• Install non-slip mats in the bathroom
• Improve balance by practicing muscle-strengthening exercises and balance exercises daily
• Get enough Calcium, Vitamin D and other nutrients to keep your bones strong
• Increase physical activity especially weight bearing exercises to strengthen your bones

The goal of prevention should be not only to reduce the number of falls, but to reduce the injuries that follow as well.