How to limit the complications of a fall, from Harvard Women’s Health Watch
A major source of complications is lying on the floor for a long time after a fall, a risk that increases with age and declining muscle function. For older people in particular, it can result in pneumonia, pressure sores, dehydration, hypothermia, and even death. A new study shows that lying on the floor for a long time after falling is more common than previously thought among the “oldest old”—people ages 85 and over—as well as strongly associated with serious injuries, hospitalization, and nursing home care.
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