I love belts! I have plenty of cool belts (thank you "Chicos" and "My Sister's Closet”) that I love to wear. But, I may have to add just one more. An ugly belt this time!  Not cool like the others. 

This belt is an inflatable airbag belt!  YES! REALLY! ... an AIRBAG BELT! It's an airbag you wear around your waist like a belt! If you start to fall over, a sensor will detect it and deploy an airbag on the side of your fall!  It will cushion your landing! Protect your hip! Buffer your butt! 

Now, I am warning you, the belt is not cute. It looks like a deflated inner tube around your waist so you probably wouldn't wear this out on a date, or to meet your friends for dinner.  

But, you would wear it around in your house with the slippery tile floors and the throw rugs and pet toys (and pets) that you could trip on.  And, you would wear it outside on your walks with the uneven terrain and cracks in the sidewalks, and when you are working in the yard where there are mine-fields everywhere! You would wear it because this ugly belt could save you from a catastrophic, life-altering injury. It could even save your life! 

Falling is the number one reason for hospitalizations from accidents among seniors. A hip fractures is the most feared injury from falling as it can create serious complications including chronic pain, severe disability, lengthy rehabilitation and a radically diminished lifestyle. Older patients often develop pneumonia, blood clots or even sepsis with prolonged hospitalizations after a fall.   And, hip fractures increase your risk of mortality for years afterwards. You want to avoid this.

Hip fractures are not generally caused by seniors who are playing an aggressive game of Pickle Ball or by those climbing a ladder to hang Christmas lights. It doesn't take energetic or risky behavior to break your hip. 95% of hip fractures are caused by a fall from a standing height ...and most falls occur at home. 

Thats kind of scary, but there are things you can do.

Use prevention strategies like exercise, yoga and diet to ward off osteoporosis, gain strength and improve your balance. Get your vision and hearing check-up so you stay alert and aware.

Update your house to the “Senior Safety Standards” by installing grab-bars in showers, handrails on steps, and nightlights where it is dark around the house. Secure throw rugs with carpet tape and keep the clutter away from walking paths. And pick up your pills after you drop them on the floor while trying to fill your weekly pill-tracker; stepping on little round pills can make you slip ... and fall!

And, put a jingly thing on your pets' collars so they can't sneak up on you. I broke my wrist once while tripping over my "invisible" dog. 


And don't forget the ugly belt!  It's actually rather beautiful as it is blowing up - when you are on your way down!!!