Page 12 - Sun Rays March 2013
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12 | SUNRAYS
MARCH 2013
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SCTXCA.ORG
CA NEWS
• Stay away from cars withmore dents than you have!
• Before backing out of your garage, make sure the
door is in the up position, and the trash can is out of
the way. Use your rearviewmirror; it is handy. I like
to look at mine to put on my lipstick, but that’s before I move,
and I always use it (the rearview mirror, not the lipstick) to
check it’s clear back there before I back out!
• Watch for golf cart drivers, cyclists and walkers—there’s no
telling what they are going to do.
• Good drivers like you andme always observe stop signs, speed
limits, parking lanes, use our seat belts, etc. If the bad drivers
would do the same, we’d all be safer!
• Turn signals—ever notice how these beautiful expensive
vehicles we see on our streets come unequipped with turn
signals? Watch out for cars at intersections; you really never
know which way they are going to go.
• Asked how he wanted to die, one resident said, “I want to go
peacefully in my sleep, like my grandfather—not screaming
and shouting like his passengers!” If you are sleepy, take a
power nap, but, please, not behind the wheel.
Be careful—it’s a jungle out there!
If you can help COPs by volunteering four hours a month, driv-
ing, office staffing or helping with maintenance, call the COPs
office at 512-966-1362, Monday through Friday from 9:30 a.m.
to 5 p.m. Future Driver Training classes will be held on March
9 and April 13.
Advice for Sun City drivers
Submitted by Edna Heard, COPs Secretary
Did you know that each year in the United
States nearly one-third of older adults expe-
rience a fall and that falls are the leading
cause of injury deaths among older adults?
Falls are a major threat to your health and
independence but they are preventable.
Most falls happen at home and they don’t “just happen.” They
are linked to behavioral (inactivity), environmental (home
hazards) and biological (health conditions) risk factors. Falls
are often due to hazards that are easy to overlook, but easy
to fix. This checklist will help you find and fix those hazards
in your home.
Tips on How to Prevent a Fall
• Remove trip/slip hazards in your home
• Clear the clutter and furniture (especially low coffee tables)
from walkways
• Keep objects like books, magazines and shoes off the floor
• Remove throw rugs or use non-slip backing to prevent slips
• Use non-slip rubber mats in the bathtub and shower
• Avoid exposed electrical cords and phone cords
• Wear sturdy shoes and/or non-skid socks
• Clean up spills immediately
• Use a step stool with a bar to hold on to – don’t stand on
a chair or table
• Walk in the Light
• Have a light switch within reach from your bed
• Keep a flashlight next to your bed or favorite chair
• Use night lights in hallways, bathrooms, bedrooms and
kitchen
• Try to have a telephone/cell phone close to your bed
• Keep Moving
• Walk and walk some more
• Exercise to improve strength, balance and coordination
• Get up slowly after you sit or lie down
• Check with your physician
• Know about the side effects of your medication that could
lead to a fall
• Have your vision checked regularly
• For your Safety
• Keep emergency numbers in large print near each telephone
• Get a home-monitoring system. Usually you wear a button
on a chain around your neck. If you fall or need emergency
Help! I’ve fallen and I can’t get up!
Submitted by Pat Alexander, Chair, Emergency Management Committee
CPR/FIRST AID/AED CLASSES
CPR/First Aid/AED classes are taught monthly in
Sun City. For information, contact Barbara Akers at
help, pushing the button alerts the monitoring service,
which then will send help.
Following the simple steps above can make your home safer
and help you live a better life.
