Blog: Staying Safe
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Burns
Burns - and the elderly. Older people are at the highest risk for fatal injuries from burns and scalds. In fact up to five times greater than the population as a whole. Factors contributing to this high risk include: impaired vision, decreased co-ordination,...
Choking – and the elderly
Choking According to recent figures, an average of 68 care home residents die every year from choking-related medical problems in England and Wales. The elderly can be susceptible to choking due to a number of factors: eating too fast, trying to swallow large...
Why Learn First Aid?
As we get older our physiology changes and we often develop additional medical conditions. These conditions and the medicine taken to manage them can alter the way our bodies react to injury. Understanding this is key to managing a first aid emergency in an older...
Heart Attacks
What is a Heart Attack? Fatty deposits and plaques cause atheroma that builds up in coronary arteries and reduces the lumen of the artery, meaning that blood flows slower through the vessel. This can cause angina, which is when the heart muscle 'complains' that it is...
Avoiding Medication Problems
1. Be actively involved in understanding health conditions and prescribed medications: Talk with the healthcare providers Ask questions Read trustworthy, reputable online sites Join health support groups It is important that everyone involved in the care of an...
Bleeding and Skin Ulceration
Older people’s skin is thinner and can become papery, particularly on the shins and arms. It is very easy for them to catch themselves on things and it can take a long time to heal. If an elderly person on warfarin, they are also more likely to bleed, and when someone...
Electrical Safety
Electrical safety is particularly important for older or vulnerable people, or those with physical or mental impairments, because it is usually an invisible threat. But here Angela Murphy from leading UK charity, Electrical Safety First, offers some tips to help you...
Lifestyle changes to reduce reliance on medication
Simple, sensible changes to the way we live can sometimes mean we can avoid medication. It is sensible to try non-pharmacological approaches and healthy lifestyle changes to manage a condition before resorting to pills. However, never make any changes to medication...
Working together to take action to prevent falls
For anyone interested in reducing falls among older people RoSPA and the Royal College of Emergency Medicine (RCEM) have produced a joint factsheet detailing how we can reduce pressure on A&E and improve healthy ageing by preventing falls among older people. The...
Signs and Symptoms of Sepsis
Early sepsis can be a difficult condition to recognise, and often takes a while to diagnose; during this time the casualty can deteriorate rapidly. There is a major campaign to raise awareness of possible early signs as the sooner treatment is started, the better the...