Copyright © 2013 Philips Lifeline.All Rights Reserved.

Falls and the senior diabetic patientSeniors with Type I or Type II diabetes have ahigher risk of falling and fall more frequently thannon-diabetic patients. This informative brochurewill help your diabetic patients understand howtheir condition increases the risk of falling as wellas the severity of the potential injuries that canresult. Lifeline’s ability to provide fast, expert helpin such emergencies is explained, including Lifelinewith AutoAlert, and a helpful fall preventionchecklist for diabetics is included.

1-800-LIFELINE www.lifeline.ca Fall 2013

F O R T H E H E A L T H C A R E P R O F E S S I O N A L

800-LIFELINE www.lifeline.ca

O R T H E H E A L T H C A R E P R O FR T H E H E A L T H C A R E

t’s a well-known fact: older adults have avery high risk of falling. One in three

Canadians aged 65 and over falls each year,and 50% fall at least twice. In many casesthe only damage is to one’s pride, but 20-30% of seniors who fall suffer moderate tosevere injuries that jeopardize health,mobility and the ability to liveindependently.

Many risk factors have been identified thatincrease the likelihood of a fall, but one ofthe most significant is seldom mentioned

I and has only recently begun to receive theattention it deserves: diabetes.

DM (diabetes mellitus) is a rapidly growinghealthcare concern in Canada, particularlyamongst seniors. According to 2009 datafrom Statistics Canada and the CanadianDiabetes Association, seniors are notablyover-represented amongst diabetics:people aged 65 and over account for 47%of all diabetics but only 14% of the totalpopulation.

cont'd page 2...

FREE Diabetes and the Risk of Falls brochures

105 – 95 Barber Greene RoadToronto, Ontario M3C 3E9

In this issue:

• When Health Concerns Collide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

• Prescription for Hospitalization . 3

• Free Lifeline brochures . . . . . . . . . 4

FREEDiabetes andthe Risk of Falls brochures

Act now and receive:• A FREE supply of Diabetes and the Risk

of Falls patient education brochures

• Savings Coupons for your patients

Call 1-800-LIFELINE (1-800-543-3546)Email brochures@lifeline.caFax Use the enclosed Fax FormVisit www.lifeline.ca and click “Healthcare”

Diabetes and Falls:When health concerns collide

See backpage fordetails.

Philips Lifeline respects the privacy of each individual with whom it comes into contact. If you would like to opt out of receiving any furtherinformation from Lifeline, please indicate your wish here and fax this form to 1-800-313-9764. To learn more about Lifeline’s Privacy Policy,please visit www.lifeline.ca.

I do not want to receive any further communications or information from Philips Lifeline. Please remove my name from your database.

1. Request your FREE patient education brochures and Savings Coupons

Diabetes and the Risk of FallsThis informative brochure helps your diabetic patients understand how the condition increases their risk of falling as well as the severity of the injuries that can result. Lifeline’s ability to provide fast, expert help in such emergencies is explained, including Lifeline with AutoAlert, and a helpful fall prevention checklist for diabetics is included.

Order today!YES – Send me a free supply of Diabetes and the Risk of Fallsbrochures plus Savings Coupons for my patients.

686

Telephone:1-800-LIFELINE (1-800-543-3546)

PLEASE FAX THIS FORM TO 1-800-313-9764

AGENCY:Please add or correct information here:

Name:

Title:

Organization:

Address:

City: Prov:

Postal code:

Phone:

Email:Check here if you are interested in the possibilityof receiving communications via email in future.

YES – I would like to meet with a Philips Lifeline representative. Please call me at: ( _____ ) ___________________ .The best time to call is: _____________ a.m. p.m.

2. Request a visit from a Philips Lifeline representative

WAYS TO R E F E R

YOUR PATIENTS

TO LIFELINE

GIVE your patient a referral savings coupon

CALL 1-800-LIFELINE

EMAIL referral@lifeline.ca

FAX 1-800-313-9764

Philips Lifeline: Your Partner In Quality HealthcareLifeline is Canada’s mosttrusted Medical Alert Service.We partner with HealthcareProfessionals in helping seniors,the physically challenged andpatients managing medicalconditions to live safely andindependently at home.

DID YOU KNOW?

• November 2013 is Diabetes Awareness Month

• Connections available aussi en Francais. Composez le 1-800-543-3546.

Lifeline never turns away a patient in need

Subsidy programs are available toreduce the cost of the Lifeline service.

For more information, call 1-800-LIFELINE.

Recommend LifelineThe Lifeline medical alarm service enables your senior and physically challengedpatients to receive fast, expert help anytimethey need it, 24 hours a day.

To receive a supply of Lifeline Referral Savings Coupons for your patients, call 1-800-LIFELINE (1-800-543-3546).

4

Falls are a serious health risk for older Canadians. When diabetes is added to the mix, the risk of falling is much worse.

Order your FREEbrochures

today

Supplieslimited– order today

Ask about Lifeline with AutoAlertCalls for help automaticallywhen it detects a fall.

Referral Savings Coupon

Coupon valid until: Quote this code for savings:

Lifeline has been recommended to you by yourhealthcare professional. This coupon entitles youto priority savings on any Lifeline service.

Offer available at locally participating programs and valid for new activations only. Not to be combined with any otheroffer. AutoAlert does not detect 100% of falls. If able, users should always push their button when they need help.

www.lifeline.ca

Ask about Lifeline with AutoAlertCalls for help automaticallywhen it detects a fall.

Referral Savings Coupon

Coupon valid until: Quote this code for savings:

Lifeline has been recommended to you by yourhealthcare professional. This coupon entitles youto priority savings on any Lifeline service.

Offer available at locally participating programs and valid for new activations only. Not to be combined with any otheroffer. AutoAlert does not detect 100% of falls. If able, users should always push their button when they need help.

www.lifeline.ca

Ask about Lifeline with AutoAlertCalls for help automaticallywhen it detects a fall.

Referral Savings Coupon

Coupon valid until: Quote this code for savings:

Lifeline has been recommended to you by yourhealthcare professional. This coupon entitles youto priority savings on any Lifeline service.

Offer available at locally participating programs and valid for new activations only. Not to be combined with any otheroffer. AutoAlert does not detect 100% of falls. If able, users should always push their button when they need help.

www.lifeline.ca

How the Lifeline Service works

When health concerns collide (cont’d from page 1)

lthough annual increases inprescription drug spending have

decreased substantially in the pastdecade from earlier double-digit peaks,the fact remains that spending isincreasing faster for seniors than it isfor the rest of the population.

Older adults are Canada’s heaviestusers of prescription medications,averaging 3 to 6 medications daily. Ofgreater concern is the fact that seniorsare much more susceptible than theaverage population to adverse drugreactions (ADRs) and the healthproblems they can cause such as fallsand hip fractures.

According to a recent study by theCanadian Institute for HealthInformation (CIHI), adults aged 65 andolder represent 14% of Canada’spopulation but account for 40% of allprescription medications and a verysignificant 57.6% of ADR-relatedhospitalizations. In fact, seniors are fivetimes more likely to end up in hospitaldue to a drug-related healthemergency than younger adults.

The top 3 medication classescausing adverse drug reactionsThe CIHI report sheds light on whichmedication classes are most likely toresult in ADRs serious enough torequire hospitalization. The top threemedications named in the study are:

1. Anticoagulants (12.6% of ADRs):Blood thinners prescribed for heartattack and stroke prevention arenotoriously difficult to manage andrequire frequent monitoring.

A

Prescription for hospitalizationElderly Canadians rely heavily on medications to manage health issues, butwithout proper care these same meds can also send them to the hospital.

Lifeline with AutoAlertCalls automaticallywhen your patients can’t.

When diabetes collides with seniors’propensity to fall, a kind of doublejeopardy sets in because DMcomplications further increase thelikelihood of a fall.

Research shows that elderly diabeticsfare worse than non-diabetics onseveral critical fall-related measures:

• 25% more likely to fall (Schiller, 2007).

• 58% higher likelihood of recurrent falls (Pijpers et al., 2011)

• 97% higher injury rate (NHIS, 2001-2003)

Additional differences include:

• Slower rehabilitation following a fall-related hip fracture (Semel et al., 2010)

• Worse functional outcomes following rehabilitation after hip fracture surgery (Liberman et al., 2007).

• Lower preoperative health related quality of life, more pain, co-morbidities and reduced health status following a hip fracture (Ekstrom et al., 2013)

Why diabetes is such asignificant falls risk factorType I and II diabetics are prone toseveral complications that can increasethe chance of a fall, especially if bloodsugars are not being managedeffectively, including:

Hypoglycemia: A hypoglycemic reactionis perhaps the greatest falls risk factorfor diabetics. Low blood sugar levelsdue to missed meals or an increase inactivity level can lead to uncontrolledtremors, dizziness, sweating, blurredvision, delirium and in extreme cases,loss of consciousness.

Medications: The falls risk associatedwith polypharmacy is greater fordiabetics than for non-diabetics becausetheir condition requires the use of anadditional medication: insulin or ahypoglycemic drug such as Metformin.Not only is the opportunity for negativedrug interactions higher, some diabeticmedications can elevate the risk of fallseven on their own.

Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy: DPN,impairment of the nervous system, isone of the most common diabeticcomplications, affecting approximately30% of older patients. DPN causestingling, pain or loss of feeling in thelower extremities.

Retinopathy: Damage to the retina ofthe eye is the leading cause of blindnessin Canada and the U.S. Symptomsinclude blurred or cloudy vision andproblems adjusting to changes inlighting that increase the risk of a fall.

Renal failure: Diabetes is the leadingcause of kidney failure, accounting foralmost half of newly diagnosed cases.Symptoms of kidney disease includepoor endurance, muscle cramps, weightloss and difficulty thinking clearly.

Preventing DM-related fallsThe incidence of diabetes in thepopulation is increasing at an alarming

pace. As the Baby Boom generationcontinues its shift into the age 65+cohort, the number of senior diabeticswill swell significantly. Healthcareproviders will need to redouble theirefforts to warn senior diabetic patientsand their caregivers about theadditional falls risks they face andencourage them to reduce their riskby controlling their blood sugar levels,following their medication regimencarefully, remaining active and eatinghealthy meals.

Healthcare providers must also remindpatients to think about how theywould get help if a health emergencyleaves them unable to get to a phone.

Lifeline is a smart investment forsenior diabetic patients so that theyhave access to fast, expert emergencyhelp 24 hours a day. The Lifeline withAutoAlert option is a particularly wisechoice in case a fall or hypoglycemicreaction prevents them from pushingtheir Help Button on their own.

SOURCES:

1. Canadian Diabetic Association; The Prevalence and Cost of Diabetes: Facts, 2009.

2. Statistics Canada; Annual Demographic Estimates, Table 2.1-1, 2010.

3. Schiller et al.; Fall Injury Episodes Among Noninstitutionalized Older Adults: United States, 2001-2003, Table 2: Annualized frequency andrates of fall injury episodes by health characteristics.

4. Crews, Yalla, Fleischer, Wu; A Growing Troubling Triad: Diabetes, Aging and Falls; Journal of Aging Research, 2013.

5. Piper, Barb; Falls and Diabetes.6. McCulloch, Munshi; Treatment of Type 2

Diabetes Mellitus in the Elderly Patient, 2013.

HELP YOUR PATIENTS SAVE ON LIFELINE.

Security and peace of mind at your fingertips

Summon helpPushing your Help Button activates a LifelineCommunicator that connects you with our24/7 Response Centre. Note: With the Lifeline with AutoAlert option,the call is made automatically if a fall is detectedand you are unable to push your help button.

Hear a reassuring voiceA trained Lifeline Response Associatespeaks with you and assesses yoursituation while accessing your medicalprofile.

Help is on the wayOur Associate contacts a neighbour,loved one, or emergency services basedon your specific needs, and follows up to confirm that help has arrived.

AutoAlert

* AutoAlert does not detect 100% of falls. If able, usersshould always push their button when they need help.

FREEDiabetes and the Risk of Falls brochuresSee back page.

* AutoAlert does not detect 100% of falls. If able, users should always push their button when they need help.

Thanks to healthcare professionals like you across Canada, Philips Lifeline is able to helpthousands of at-risk seniors live independently with renewed confidence and peace of mind.

Each month, we receive many wonderful notes of thanks from our subscribers and theirfamilies. Here are just two of them:

Your support makes a difference!

At 78 years � age, I have one

fo� in the grave and the �her

on a banana peel ready to meet

my creator at any time, but

until then I stay focused on

living. With Lifeline I feel

very secure, and up to now

I have only used the help

bu�on once, praise the Lord!

– Joseph A

I have diabetes and had open heart surgery earlier this year, so I was feeling a little uneasy by myself. A friend of mine fell and broke her hip and laid there for hours before she got help. I didn’t want that to happen to me.Thank you, Lifeline! – Betty A.

See Referral Savings Coupons on reverse.

1

2

3

IT’S EASY to refer your patients to Lifeline.

Call: 1-800-LIFELINE(1-800-543-3546)

2. Antineoplastic medications (12.1%), used in cancer chemotherapytreatment, can lead to a decrease indisease-fighting white blood cells.

3. Opioids and related analgesics(7.4%) used for pain management cancause nausea, vomiting and constipation.

Identifying high risk ADRpatientsThe CIHI study also identifies factorsthat indicate a likelihood of ADRhospitalization. These factors can helphealthcare professionals identify high-risk patients, and include:

• New starts: The highest risk of anADR occurs in the days following thestart of a new drug therapy. Whetherand how soon a reaction developsvaries by medication.

• Number of medications: There is apronounced correlation between thenumber of medications being takenand the likelihood of an ADR.

• Age: The older the patient, thegreater the likelihood of an ADR thatresults in a hospital admission.

SOURCES:1. Adverse Drug Reaction-Related

Hospitalizations Among Seniors, 2006 to 2011, Canadian Institute for Health Information, March 2013.

2. How you can help seniors use medication safely, Health Canada.

3. Hakkarainen et al., Percentage of Patients with Preventable Adverse Drug Reactions and Preventability of Adverse Drug Reactions - A Meta-Analysis, published online March 2012, accessed from pubmedcentral-canada.ca on July 18, 2013.

4. Seniors and Prescription Drug Use, CIHI.

How the Lifeline Service works

Security and peace of mind at your fingertips

Summon helpPushing your Help Button activates a LifelineCommunicator that connects you with our24/7 Response Centre. Note: With the Lifeline with AutoAlert option,the call is made automatically if a fall is detectedand you are unable to push your help button.

Hear a reassuring voiceA trained Lifeline Response Associatespeaks with you and assesses yoursituation while accessing your medicalprofile.

Help is on the wayOur Associate contacts a neighbour,loved one, or emergency services basedon your specific needs, and follows up to confirm that help has arrived.

AutoAlert

* AutoAlert does not detect 100% of falls. If able, usersshould always push their button when they need help.

1

2

3

How the Lifeline Service works

Security and peace of mind at your fingertips

Summon helpPushing your Help Button activates a LifelineCommunicator that connects you with our24/7 Response Centre. Note: With the Lifeline with AutoAlert option,the call is made automatically if a fall is detectedand you are unable to push your help button.

Hear a reassuring voiceA trained Lifeline Response Associatespeaks with you and assesses yoursituation while accessing your medicalprofile.

Help is on the wayOur Associate contacts a neighbour,loved one, or emergency services basedon your specific needs, and follows up to confirm that help has arrived.

AutoAlert

* AutoAlert does not detect 100% of falls. If able, usersshould always push their button when they need help.

1

2

3

How the Lifeline Service works

When health concerns collide (cont’d from page 1)

lthough annual increases inprescription drug spending have

decreased substantially in the pastdecade from earlier double-digit peaks,the fact remains that spending isincreasing faster for seniors than it isfor the rest of the population.

Older adults are Canada’s heaviestusers of prescription medications,averaging 3 to 6 medications daily. Ofgreater concern is the fact that seniorsare much more susceptible than theaverage population to adverse drugreactions (ADRs) and the healthproblems they can cause such as fallsand hip fractures.

According to a recent study by theCanadian Institute for HealthInformation (CIHI), adults aged 65 andolder represent 14% of Canada’spopulation but account for 40% of allprescription medications and a verysignificant 57.6% of ADR-relatedhospitalizations. In fact, seniors are fivetimes more likely to end up in hospitaldue to a drug-related healthemergency than younger adults.

The top 3 medication classescausing adverse drug reactionsThe CIHI report sheds light on whichmedication classes are most likely toresult in ADRs serious enough torequire hospitalization. The top threemedications named in the study are:

1. Anticoagulants (12.6% of ADRs):Blood thinners prescribed for heartattack and stroke prevention arenotoriously difficult to manage andrequire frequent monitoring.

A

Prescription for hospitalizationElderly Canadians rely heavily on medications to manage health issues, butwithout proper care these same meds can also send them to the hospital.

Lifeline with AutoAlertCalls automaticallywhen your patients can’t.

When diabetes collides with seniors’propensity to fall, a kind of doublejeopardy sets in because DMcomplications further increase thelikelihood of a fall.

Research shows that elderly diabeticsfare worse than non-diabetics onseveral critical fall-related measures:

• 25% more likely to fall (Schiller, 2007).

• 58% higher likelihood of recurrent falls (Pijpers et al., 2011)

• 97% higher injury rate (NHIS, 2001-2003)

Additional differences include:

• Slower rehabilitation following a fall-related hip fracture (Semel et al., 2010)

• Worse functional outcomes following rehabilitation after hip fracture surgery (Liberman et al., 2007).

• Lower preoperative health related quality of life, more pain, co-morbidities and reduced health status following a hip fracture (Ekstrom et al., 2013)

Why diabetes is such asignificant falls risk factorType I and II diabetics are prone toseveral complications that can increasethe chance of a fall, especially if bloodsugars are not being managedeffectively, including:

Hypoglycemia: A hypoglycemic reactionis perhaps the greatest falls risk factorfor diabetics. Low blood sugar levelsdue to missed meals or an increase inactivity level can lead to uncontrolledtremors, dizziness, sweating, blurredvision, delirium and in extreme cases,loss of consciousness.

Medications: The falls risk associatedwith polypharmacy is greater fordiabetics than for non-diabetics becausetheir condition requires the use of anadditional medication: insulin or ahypoglycemic drug such as Metformin.Not only is the opportunity for negativedrug interactions higher, some diabeticmedications can elevate the risk of fallseven on their own.

Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy: DPN,impairment of the nervous system, isone of the most common diabeticcomplications, affecting approximately30% of older patients. DPN causestingling, pain or loss of feeling in thelower extremities.

Retinopathy: Damage to the retina ofthe eye is the leading cause of blindnessin Canada and the U.S. Symptomsinclude blurred or cloudy vision andproblems adjusting to changes inlighting that increase the risk of a fall.

Renal failure: Diabetes is the leadingcause of kidney failure, accounting foralmost half of newly diagnosed cases.Symptoms of kidney disease includepoor endurance, muscle cramps, weightloss and difficulty thinking clearly.

Preventing DM-related fallsThe incidence of diabetes in thepopulation is increasing at an alarming

pace. As the Baby Boom generationcontinues its shift into the age 65+cohort, the number of senior diabeticswill swell significantly. Healthcareproviders will need to redouble theirefforts to warn senior diabetic patientsand their caregivers about theadditional falls risks they face andencourage them to reduce their riskby controlling their blood sugar levels,following their medication regimencarefully, remaining active and eatinghealthy meals.

Healthcare providers must also remindpatients to think about how theywould get help if a health emergencyleaves them unable to get to a phone.

Lifeline is a smart investment forsenior diabetic patients so that theyhave access to fast, expert emergencyhelp 24 hours a day. The Lifeline withAutoAlert option is a particularly wisechoice in case a fall or hypoglycemicreaction prevents them from pushingtheir Help Button on their own.

SOURCES:

1. Canadian Diabetic Association; The Prevalence and Cost of Diabetes: Facts, 2009.

2. Statistics Canada; Annual Demographic Estimates, Table 2.1-1, 2010.

3. Schiller et al.; Fall Injury Episodes Among Noninstitutionalized Older Adults: United States, 2001-2003, Table 2: Annualized frequency andrates of fall injury episodes by health characteristics.

4. Crews, Yalla, Fleischer, Wu; A Growing Troubling Triad: Diabetes, Aging and Falls; Journal of Aging Research, 2013.

5. Piper, Barb; Falls and Diabetes.6. McCulloch, Munshi; Treatment of Type 2

Diabetes Mellitus in the Elderly Patient, 2013.

HELP YOUR PATIENTS SAVE ON LIFELINE.

Security and peace of mind at your fingertips

Summon helpPushing your Help Button activates a LifelineCommunicator that connects you with our24/7 Response Centre. Note: With the Lifeline with AutoAlert option,the call is made automatically if a fall is detectedand you are unable to push your help button.

Hear a reassuring voiceA trained Lifeline Response Associatespeaks with you and assesses yoursituation while accessing your medicalprofile.

Help is on the wayOur Associate contacts a neighbour,loved one, or emergency services basedon your specific needs, and follows up to confirm that help has arrived.

AutoAlert

* AutoAlert does not detect 100% of falls. If able, usersshould always push their button when they need help.

FREEDiabetes and the Risk of Falls brochuresSee back page.

* AutoAlert does not detect 100% of falls. If able, users should always push their button when they need help.

Thanks to healthcare professionals like you across Canada, Philips Lifeline is able to helpthousands of at-risk seniors live independently with renewed confidence and peace of mind.

Each month, we receive many wonderful notes of thanks from our subscribers and theirfamilies. Here are just two of them:

Your support makes a difference!

At 78 years � age, I have one

fo� in the grave and the �her

on a banana peel ready to meet

my creator at any time, but

until then I stay focused on

living. With Lifeline I feel

very secure, and up to now

I have only used the help

bu�on once, praise the Lord!

– Joseph A

I have diabetes and had open heart surgery earlier this year, so I was feeling a little uneasy by myself. A friend of mine fell and broke her hip and laid there for hours before she got help. I didn’t want that to happen to me.Thank you, Lifeline! – Betty A.

See Referral Savings Coupons on reverse.

1

2

3

IT’S EASY to refer your patients to Lifeline.

Call: 1-800-LIFELINE(1-800-543-3546)

2. Antineoplastic medications (12.1%), used in cancer chemotherapytreatment, can lead to a decrease indisease-fighting white blood cells.

3. Opioids and related analgesics(7.4%) used for pain management cancause nausea, vomiting and constipation.

Identifying high risk ADRpatientsThe CIHI study also identifies factorsthat indicate a likelihood of ADRhospitalization. These factors can helphealthcare professionals identify high-risk patients, and include:

• New starts: The highest risk of anADR occurs in the days following thestart of a new drug therapy. Whetherand how soon a reaction developsvaries by medication.

• Number of medications: There is apronounced correlation between thenumber of medications being takenand the likelihood of an ADR.

• Age: The older the patient, thegreater the likelihood of an ADR thatresults in a hospital admission.

SOURCES:1. Adverse Drug Reaction-Related

Hospitalizations Among Seniors, 2006 to 2011, Canadian Institute for Health Information, March 2013.

2. How you can help seniors use medication safely, Health Canada.

3. Hakkarainen et al., Percentage of Patients with Preventable Adverse Drug Reactions and Preventability of Adverse Drug Reactions - A Meta-Analysis, published online March 2012, accessed from pubmedcentral-canada.ca on July 18, 2013.

4. Seniors and Prescription Drug Use, CIHI.

How the Lifeline Service works

Security and peace of mind at your fingertips

Summon helpPushing your Help Button activates a LifelineCommunicator that connects you with our24/7 Response Centre. Note: With the Lifeline with AutoAlert option,the call is made automatically if a fall is detectedand you are unable to push your help button.

Hear a reassuring voiceA trained Lifeline Response Associatespeaks with you and assesses yoursituation while accessing your medicalprofile.

Help is on the wayOur Associate contacts a neighbour,loved one, or emergency services basedon your specific needs, and follows up to confirm that help has arrived.

AutoAlert

* AutoAlert does not detect 100% of falls. If able, usersshould always push their button when they need help.

1

2

3

How the Lifeline Service works

Security and peace of mind at your fingertips

Summon helpPushing your Help Button activates a LifelineCommunicator that connects you with our24/7 Response Centre. Note: With the Lifeline with AutoAlert option,the call is made automatically if a fall is detectedand you are unable to push your help button.

Hear a reassuring voiceA trained Lifeline Response Associatespeaks with you and assesses yoursituation while accessing your medicalprofile.

Help is on the wayOur Associate contacts a neighbour,loved one, or emergency services basedon your specific needs, and follows up to confirm that help has arrived.

AutoAlert

* AutoAlert does not detect 100% of falls. If able, usersshould always push their button when they need help.

1

2

3

Copyright © 2013 Philips Lifeline.All Rights Reserved.

Falls and the senior diabetic patientSeniors with Type I or Type II diabetes have ahigher risk of falling and fall more frequently thannon-diabetic patients. This informative brochurewill help your diabetic patients understand howtheir condition increases the risk of falling as wellas the severity of the potential injuries that canresult. Lifeline’s ability to provide fast, expert helpin such emergencies is explained, including Lifelinewith AutoAlert, and a helpful fall preventionchecklist for diabetics is included.

1-800-LIFELINE www.lifeline.ca Fall 2013

F O R T H E H E A L T H C A R E P R O F E S S I O N A L

800-LIFELINE www.lifeline.ca

O R T H E H E A L T H C A R E P R O FR T H E H E A L T H C A R E

t’s a well-known fact: older adults have avery high risk of falling. One in three

Canadians aged 65 and over falls each year,and 50% fall at least twice. In many casesthe only damage is to one’s pride, but 20-30% of seniors who fall suffer moderate tosevere injuries that jeopardize health,mobility and the ability to liveindependently.

Many risk factors have been identified thatincrease the likelihood of a fall, but one ofthe most significant is seldom mentioned

I and has only recently begun to receive theattention it deserves: diabetes.

DM (diabetes mellitus) is a rapidly growinghealthcare concern in Canada, particularlyamongst seniors. According to 2009 datafrom Statistics Canada and the CanadianDiabetes Association, seniors are notablyover-represented amongst diabetics:people aged 65 and over account for 47%of all diabetics but only 14% of the totalpopulation.

cont'd page 2...

FREE Diabetes and the Risk of Falls brochures

105 – 95 Barber Greene RoadToronto, Ontario M3C 3E9

In this issue:

• When Health Concerns Collide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

• Prescription for Hospitalization . 3

• Free Lifeline brochures . . . . . . . . . 4

FREEDiabetes andthe Risk of Falls brochures

Act now and receive:• A FREE supply of Diabetes and the Risk

of Falls patient education brochures

• Savings Coupons for your patients

Call 1-800-LIFELINE (1-800-543-3546)Email brochures@lifeline.caFax Use the enclosed Fax FormVisit www.lifeline.ca and click “Healthcare”

Diabetes and Falls:When health concerns collide

See backpage fordetails.

Philips Lifeline respects the privacy of each individual with whom it comes into contact. If you would like to opt out of receiving any furtherinformation from Lifeline, please indicate your wish here and fax this form to 1-800-313-9764. To learn more about Lifeline’s Privacy Policy,please visit www.lifeline.ca.

I do not want to receive any further communications or information from Philips Lifeline. Please remove my name from your database.

1. Request your FREE patient education brochures and Savings Coupons

Diabetes and the Risk of FallsThis informative brochure helps your diabetic patients understand how the condition increases their risk of falling as well as the severity of the injuries that can result. Lifeline’s ability to provide fast, expert help in such emergencies is explained, including Lifeline with AutoAlert, and a helpful fall prevention checklist for diabetics is included.

Order today!YES – Send me a free supply of Diabetes and the Risk of Fallsbrochures plus Savings Coupons for my patients.

686

Telephone:1-800-LIFELINE (1-800-543-3546)

PLEASE FAX THIS FORM TO 1-800-313-9764

AGENCY:Please add or correct information here:

Name:

Title:

Organization:

Address:

City: Prov:

Postal code:

Phone:

Email:Check here if you are interested in the possibilityof receiving communications via email in future.

YES – I would like to meet with a Philips Lifeline representative. Please call me at: ( _____ ) ___________________ .The best time to call is: _____________ a.m. p.m.

2. Request a visit from a Philips Lifeline representative

WAYS TO R E F E R

YOUR PATIENTS

TO LIFELINE

GIVE your patient a referral savings coupon

CALL 1-800-LIFELINE

EMAIL referral@lifeline.ca

FAX 1-800-313-9764

Philips Lifeline: Your Partner In Quality HealthcareLifeline is Canada’s mosttrusted Medical Alert Service.We partner with HealthcareProfessionals in helping seniors,the physically challenged andpatients managing medicalconditions to live safely andindependently at home.

DID YOU KNOW?

• November 2013 is Diabetes Awareness Month

• Connections available aussi en Francais. Composez le 1-800-543-3546.

Lifeline never turns away a patient in need

Subsidy programs are available toreduce the cost of the Lifeline service.

For more information, call 1-800-LIFELINE.

Recommend LifelineThe Lifeline medical alarm service enables your senior and physically challengedpatients to receive fast, expert help anytimethey need it, 24 hours a day.

To receive a supply of Lifeline Referral Savings Coupons for your patients, call 1-800-LIFELINE (1-800-543-3546).

4

Falls are a serious health risk for older Canadians. When diabetes is added to the mix, the risk of falling is much worse.

Order your FREEbrochures

today

Supplieslimited– order today

Ask about Lifeline with AutoAlertCalls for help automaticallywhen it detects a fall.

Referral Savings Coupon

Coupon valid until: Quote this code for savings:

Lifeline has been recommended to you by yourhealthcare professional. This coupon entitles youto priority savings on any Lifeline service.

Offer available at locally participating programs and valid for new activations only. Not to be combined with any otheroffer. AutoAlert does not detect 100% of falls. If able, users should always push their button when they need help.

www.lifeline.ca

Ask about Lifeline with AutoAlertCalls for help automaticallywhen it detects a fall.

Referral Savings Coupon

Coupon valid until: Quote this code for savings:

Lifeline has been recommended to you by yourhealthcare professional. This coupon entitles youto priority savings on any Lifeline service.

Offer available at locally participating programs and valid for new activations only. Not to be combined with any otheroffer. AutoAlert does not detect 100% of falls. If able, users should always push their button when they need help.

www.lifeline.ca

Ask about Lifeline with AutoAlertCalls for help automaticallywhen it detects a fall.

Referral Savings Coupon

Coupon valid until: Quote this code for savings:

Lifeline has been recommended to you by yourhealthcare professional. This coupon entitles youto priority savings on any Lifeline service.

Offer available at locally participating programs and valid for new activations only. Not to be combined with any otheroffer. AutoAlert does not detect 100% of falls. If able, users should always push their button when they need help.

www.lifeline.ca