6．Did you know that falling down is the leading cause of injury death for Americans aged 65and older？
Each year 35to 40percent of older adult Americans fall at least once．
Falling down is not just the result of getting older．Falling can be caused by a variety of circumstances，and many falls can be prevented．
Here are 4simple steps you can take to significantly reduce your risk of injury from falling down．
Improve Your Body Balance with Exercise to Prevent Falling．
•If you don't have a regular exercise program，start one．Lack of exercise leads to weakness，and that increases your chances of falling．
•Exercise can improve your body balance and flexibility at any age．Try exercises like Yoga and Tai Chi．
•If you are over 50and haven't exercised regularly，check with your health care provider about the
best type of exercise program for you．
Increase Your Home's Accessibility and Safety to Reduce Falling Risks
About half of all falls happen at home．To increase accessibility and make your home safer：
•Remove items you might trip over from stairs and places where you walk．
•Remove small throw rugs（易滑地垫）or use double-sided tape to keep the rugs from slipping．
•Have grab bars installed next to your toilet，and install grab bars in your tub or shower．
•Improve the lighting in your home．
•Make sure all stairways have handrails and sufficient lighting．
•Wear shoes that give good support and have thin non-slip soles．
You might also consider avoiding lightweight slippers（especially backless styles），which can reduce your feeling of control．
Prevent Falling：Watch Out for Medication Side Effects
Age can affect the way some medications work in your body，so if you have been taking any over-the-counter medications for a while，it's important to tell your health care provider．He or she will be able to tell you if they are still safe for you to take．
•Look out for drugs that have side effects including drowsiness（困倦）．These side effects can increase your risk of falling．This is especially important with over-the-counter cold and flu medications，which can often increase drowsiness．
•And don't forget herbal remedies（草药）．Some remedies increase sleepiness and many react with other types of medication，which could increase your risk of falling down．Be sure to check with your health care provider before trying new medication．
Want to Prevent Falling？Have Your Vision Checked Regularly
Vision problems can increase your chances of falling．
•You may be wearing the wrong glasses that cause vision problems or limit your vision．
•To reduce your risk of falling，have your vision checked by an eye doctor every year for early detection and correction of vision problems．If you can't see something，it's harder to avoid it，and this increases your risk of falling．
| How to Reduce Your Risk of Injury from Falling |
| （76）steps\measures\ways | Detailed suggestions |
| Make your body （77）balancebetter with exercise | •Try exercises （78）regularlylike Yoga and Tai Chi
•Make clear which is the best type of exercise program for you in advance |
| Increase your home's accessibility and safety | •Remove items that might cause you to （79）fall\slip
•（80）Installitems that will support you when needed
•Improve the lighting in and out of your room
•Wear non-slip shoes |
| Be（81）carefulof medication side effects | •Do check with your health care provider to ensure your （82）safetyof taking any over-the-counter medications，（83）whetheryou have taken them or not |
| Protect your vision carefully | •Don't（84）wearthe wrong glasses that damage your vision
•Have your vision checked regularly to detect and correct your （85）potentialvision problems |
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