GAYLE DAVIS
Freelance
BARRY’S BAY – It is mid-winter. COVID is still dictating what we can and cannot do, both indoors and out.
We all know that one of the best ways to stay healthy, both physically and mentally, is to be active. Fresh air and exercise help to chase the blues away while promoting good health.
Up here in the ‘near north’ there is really no ‘running out’ quickly for a few things. Whether we like it or not, living in our wonderful area does have its own caveats. Dressing for weather conditions is one of the most important considerations. Some of the 1700 older adults seen in the emergency departments in Renfrew County for care after a fall in 2015 were probably ‘only going for the mail’ or heading into the grocery store for a ‘few things’. When it comes to seniors, falling is especially dangerous as bones become more brittle and the ability to avert a fall becomes more challenging. With COVID making serious demands on our healthcare system, avoiding a trip to the emergency department benefits the whole community.
When contacted, Chief of Staff at St. Francis Memorial Hospital and Family Physician, Dr. Jason Malinowski said, “As doctors, we are concerned about the impact that falls have on our seniors – we see a lot of hip fractures and wrist fractures from falls. We want people to be active, but balance that with the fall risk.”
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