A study from the University of Michigan found that older adults with severe vision loss are three to four times more likely to fall when their home also has hazards, missing grab bars, tripping risks, or uneven flooring. Crucially, it's the combination that's dangerous: poor vision alone or home hazards alone carry less risk than both together. Nearly half of older adults lack grab bars in the bathroom. Falls cost the United States an estimated $80 billion in medical expenses every year. The two simplest interventions: get your vision checked regularly, and inspect your home looking for things you've stopped seeing.
Rick Good spent ten years in the newspaper business, including with The News & Observer (Raleigh, NC) and The Greenville News (Greenville, SC). He co-wrote, with Melinda Coleman, Rutledge to Riley: Governors of South Carolina, 1776–Present (Published by The Greenville News), and is the author of Mind Games Trivia #1 (Amazon). He has recently spent 15 years creating original trivia content through Sounds Good Mobile Entertainment and continues that with his new company, SGME Software. He edits The Smart Reader’s money, real estate, and business coverage.
