Safe homes can prevent many deaths: experts

By THE NATION

 

File photo: The Nation Photo

 

AT LEAST 6,000 elderly people die from falling every year, and most of these deaths occur at home.

 

Even if a fall does not kill, it often causes serious injuries or disability. 

 

“When an elderly family member falls, it is not just the rest of the family but also the country that has to shoulder higher medical expenses,” Dr Anucha Setthasathien said earlier this week in his capacity as vice president of Road Safety Thailand.

 

The National Institute of Emergency Medicine hotline centre answered 100,000 calls of an elderly person falling last year, and 6,000 of them succumbed to their injuries. 

 

The actual number of such falls might be higher, because not all cases are reported to the centre. 

 

Speaking at the 13th World Conference on Injury Prevention and Safety Promotion (Safety 2018), Anucha said falling was the second highest reason for death after road accidents. 

 

 

More than 600,000 people are killed as a result of a fall across the globe. 

 

In order to avoid accidents, Anucha said people should pay serious attention to keeping their homes safe, such as ensuring the toilet floor is not slippery and stairs have proper railings. 

 

He also urged people to exercise regularly to maintain muscle strength and balance. 

 

Izumi Kondo, a medical specialist at Japan’s Bureau of Rehabilitation Medicine, told the conference that Japan had tried to prevent falls by using technology and robots that helped the elderly balance themselves. 

 

“People have cooperated with us on this,” he said. 

 

Old Chinese technique

 

Duen Leilei, a specialist from China’s Bureau of Non-communicable Diseases, revealed that Chinese “Ba Duan Jin” stretching techniques helped people maintain their balance. 

 

“We studied the Ba Duan Jin practice to see how falls can be prevented or at least minimised,” she said. 

 

The study covered 1,500 people in China aged 55 and above, and findings showed that those practising Ba Duan Jin have a better balance and a lower risk of falling. 

 

“Ba Duan Jin cuts down the chance of old people falling down,” Duen said.

 

She added that people who have done Ba Duan Jin exercises for three months can maintain their balance twice as much as those who have never practised the stretches. 

 

“Compared to those who have practised Ba Duan Jin for at least six months, the balance of non-practitioners is three times poorer,” she said. 

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30358197

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-11-09

19 minutes ago, webfact said:

Dr Anucha Setthasathien said earlier this week in his capacity as vice president of Road Safety Thailand.

 

And he's addressing a world conference on Injury Prevention and Safety Promotion? Cheeky sod!

Thai just love the very slippery 60x60 floortiles...they don't care if they are slippery.

 

And do they even sell anti slip strips for stairs in Thailand? Also the railing on this picture is far too thick..the lady can't grab it properly because of the size.

 

Glad that Thailand finally realizes that design is a major factor..

They love tiles, even broken ones outside on the house's cement front.

Twice I have slipped on outside wet tiles, in the front of business's and once at a temple.

There is no overall approval for smaller buildings, re stair safety or for slippery floors.

The government should have some building guidelines for people to look at.

 

 

6 hours ago, webfact said:

The actual number of falls might be higher, because not all cases are reported to the centre. In order to avoid accidents, Anucha said people should pay serious attention to keeping their homes safe.

I am prepared to prevent my dead body is found at the bottom of the stairs: 

6 hours ago, webfact said:

The actual number of falls might be higher, because not all cases are reported to the centre. In order to avoid accidents, Anucha said people should pay serious attention to keeping their homes safe.

I am prepared to prevent my dead body is found at the bottom of the stairs: 

Two good places to start would be:

 

1) Standardization of rise / run for stairs. In Canada it's 200mm/254mm. In Thailand it's whatever...and in Laos it seems worse.

 

2) The tile floor situation. There are tiles that are meant to never get wet cuz they're slippery as ice and there are tiles that are not slippery when wet, such as those we put in our bathroom. A simple rule is that if a tile is shiny when dry, it's slippery when wet. Use non-slip tiles on stairs, bathrooms and outside.

 

I bet these 2 thing would help immensely in reducing slip/fall accidents.

When i built my house had sand wash floors in bathroom and all around the swimming pool,virtually impossible to slip on.Stairs in many Thai houses resemble ladders more than anything else.

Forget it-no standards or enforcement in Thailand