Injured Senior Podcast

Alzheimer’s Disease: Why Do People with Alzheimer's Have Higher Risk of Falls? w/ Dr. Rein Tideiksaar

Episode Summary

This week’s episode is all about Alzheimer's disease and its connection to falling featuring Dr. Tideiksaar.

Episode Notes

Dr. Rein Tideiksaar is the president of FallPrevent, a consulting company that provides educational, legal, and marketing services related to fall prevention in the elderly. Dr. Tideiksaar explains Alzheimer's disease and its connection to falling. Did you know about one-third of older people over the age of 65 will fall four times per year? For people with Alzheimer's disease, the percentage of falls increases by 50%. The most significant risk for falling is cognitive problems. Tune in as we dive into those risk factors, what caregivers can do about those risk factors and the importance of fall prevention evaluations.

In This Episode:

• [03:10] How common falls generally are in the senior and elderly communities due to Alzheimer’s. 
• [04:05] Common risk factors among Alzheimer’s patients for falling. 
• [07:30] The systemic effects that are part of common injury risk factors.
• [11:45] One of the best things that caregivers can do when taking care of older people. 
• [14:30] How to cut down the risk of falling for people with Alzheimer’s.  
• [17:00] The importance of finding a geriatric care manager to do a fall prevention evaluation. 
• [21:10] Additional strategies to prevent falling for Alzheimer’s patients. 

Key Takeaways:

• People living with Alzheimer's who fall are suffering from a cognitive issue such as confusion.
• The visual aspects of Alzheimer's disease can also put people at risk of falling in terms of their inability to match and integrate their position with their surrounding environment.
• Caregivers should observe the person with Alzheimer’s walking around within their environment. That way, they can see how the environment provides safety for them or hinders their safety.
• During the late afternoon, Alzheimer’s patients can be less manageable. Make sure they are taking naps frequently to prevent confusion. 

Meet Rein Tideiksaar

Rein Tideiksaar Ph.D., PA-C (or Dr Rein as he is commonly referred to) is the president of FallPrevent, LLC, Blackwood, NJ, a consulting company that provides educational, legal and marketing services related to fall prevention in the elderly. Dr Tideiksaar is a gerontologist (health care professional who specializes in working with elderly patients) and a geriatric physician's assistant. Author of textbooks, professional training manuals and director of numerous research projects on fall prevention, Dr Tideiksaar has been active in this field for over 30 years, and has developed fall prevention programs in the community, assisted living, home care, acute care hospital, and nursing facility setting. Dr. Tideiksaar's blogs appear @ecarediary.com, seniorlist.com and rightathome.net.

Resources

Email Dr. Tideiksaar at drrein@verizon.net
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/dr-rein/6/759/592