GRAY

Did you know that over a lifetime, around one in five elders will fall and have a fracture? Falls are a major risk factor for elders because they're more likely than younger adults to experience isolated hip, knee or ankle sprains or broken bones due to accidents and falls.

Some people are lucky and do not fracture anything (touch wood that’s you, yes?).

My tips? When your elder starts to become more unsteady on their feet, get them to a physical therapist who will provide an exercise program to increase balance and stability. Plus, if they use a cane, try and encourage them to use a walker, it's more stable.

If your elder is not sleeping well at night, then caffeine should be removed from their diet, particularly if they have dementia.

Caffeine has several effects on the body which are a detriment to sleep, causing people to become more anxious and jittery, and for elders with dementia, more irritable. It can also cause an increased need to urinate at night, which interrupts sleep.