When we're young, we can fall and almost bounce back up. Our bones and muscles are flexible enough to handle extreme sports. Then, age sets in. The warning signs come in brittle bones and weakened muscles. At this point in life, even a simple slip and fall can have disastrous consequences.

What can older people do to safeguard themselves? Seniors need to take steps - cautiously - to a safer way of life.

Maintain a secure footing

Here are some tips for preventing falls around the house.

• Make sure carpets and rugs are securely fastened to the floor, especially at the corners.

• Don't over extend yourself to reach objects. Use a stable, secure foot stool to reach high places.

• Use a non-slip mat in the bathtub or shower.

• Keep a firm grip on handrails while climbing or descending stairs.

• Never take unnecessary risks - don't try to carry more than you can handle, avoid slippery surfaces such as icy sidewalks, and watch where you are walking to avoid pitfalls along the way.

Make your safety back-up plan

Quite often, seniors live alone. They may not have a daily routine that brings them in contact with other people. For people in this situation, a fall or other mishap at home could lead to catastrophe unless a safety plan is in place.

Here's a good solution. Arrange to speak to a specific person every day. A friend, family member, neighbour or care provider can be your direct link to safety. If you have a friend who also lives alone, make it a daily habit to keep in touch - even for a brief moment. A simple phone call will do. Have a set time for the call so that if one person doesn't hear from the other, they get help right away.

Treat drugs with respect

Many seniors require medication on a daily basis. Though drugs may be an essential element of your healthy lifestyle, always remember that medication can be dangerous in the wrong hands.

• Always dispose of unused medications by flushing them down a toilet.

• Never take prescription medicine intended for someone else.

• Always keep medicine in its original container, with dosage and instructions clearly labelled.

• Keep a log of when prescription medicines are taking for reference by someone else should you be unable to take your medicine yourself.

• Never let medical conditions go unattended. If your prescription medicine doesn't seem to be effective, call your doctor or pharmacist immediately.

Living a safe and healthy lifestyle will help you enjoy your senior years. For more than a century, St. John Ambulance has been helping Canadians make the most of their life through first aid training and quality products. To learn more, contact the office nearest you or visit us on the Internet at www.sja.ca.

About The Author

News Canada provides a wide selection of current, ready-to-use copyright free news stories and ideas for Television, Print, Radio, and the Web.

News Canada is a niche service in public relations, offering access to print, radio, television, and now the Internet media, with ready-to-use, editorial "fill" items. Monitoring and analysis are two more of our primary services. The service supplies access to the national media for marketers in the private, the public, and the not-for-profit sectors. Your corporate and product news, consumer tips and information are packaged in a variety of ready-to-use formats and are made available to every Canadian media organization including weekly and daily newspapers, cable and commercial television stations, radio stations, as well as the Web sites Canadians visit most often. Visit News Canada and learn more about the NC services.

A Quick Note From The Publisher... If you like the article above, you may be interested in the following article which is also related to Anti-Aging... Where is the Fountain of Youth The Fountain of Youth is a legendary spring that putatively renders anyone who drinks of its waters forever young. The mankind has never stopped searching for such magical waters ever since the dawn of intelligence. The tales date back to at least the time of the Alexander Romance in the West. In the East, the efforts of searching for permanent youth were recorded in the Huangdi Nei Jing (the Yellow Emperor's Canon of Internal Medicine) - the earliest medical classic in China, written 2000 years ago. In 1513, Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de Leon believed that the magical spring was on the island of Bimini, or "beemeenee" called by natives. Unfortunately, the explorer did not find Bimini, instead he ended up at St. Augustine of Florida. The landing site is now part of "The Fountain of Youth National Archaeological Park". While Juan Ponce de Leon was sailing to the legendary spring, ancient Chinese believed that the fountain of youth was actually inside our body - the...

Anti-Aging, Anti Aging Treatment News