tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9263167.post7932659230335564066..comments2024-03-28T15:17:43.056-04:00Comments on Stayin' Alive: Filial PietyCervanteshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11302076828795198187noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9263167.post-32659333801150931002009-04-01T22:30:00.000-04:002009-04-01T22:30:00.000-04:00Great point about how the deaths from such trauma ...Great point about how the deaths from such trauma are spread among so many categories tallied separately, so people rarely think of the gains in reducing them all.<BR/><BR/>Two comments, re: falls, and re: fire retardants -- <BR/><BR/>Since someone close to me suffered a serious head injury in a bathroom fall (by the way, that was rx error-related), I've been interested to learn what people in other countries are doing on that front. <BR/><BR/>All the points that Cervantes mentions (such as clearing up cords/rugs, adding handholds, improving balance/ muscle strength, addressing rx adverse effects, etc) are the focus of the attention I see in US materials --<BR/>rightly aimed at fall prevention.<BR/><BR/>But in some info from the UK, and maybe elsewhere, I think I've seen more signs of attention to reducing the harm from falls, if they occur -- notably, using resilient flooring instead of tile in bathrooms, for example. <BR/><BR/>Does anyone here know if such efforts are substantial in other nations?<BR/><BR/>Also, here's an item on some recent research on neurotoxic fire retardant chemicals -- <BR/>http://wbztv.com/local/flame.<BR/>retardants.Professor.<BR/>2.901665.htmlAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9263167.post-54695849878501095042009-03-31T12:50:00.000-04:002009-03-31T12:50:00.000-04:00isn't there a downside to some of the fire retarda...isn't there a downside to some of the fire retardant chemicals? cancer or something?rogerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05910951099847351232noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9263167.post-50957866362863516542009-03-30T16:19:00.000-04:002009-03-30T16:19:00.000-04:00maybe i'm wrong, but i think at least part of the ...maybe i'm wrong, but i think at least part of the time, regulation follows lawsuits.kathy a.https://www.blogger.com/profile/14479337952651746193noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9263167.post-52369588169952194842009-03-30T15:59:00.000-04:002009-03-30T15:59:00.000-04:00True, lawsuits have been part of the story. But I ...True, lawsuits have been part of the story. But I think regulation is even more important.Cervanteshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11302076828795198187noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9263167.post-49946856034911916052009-03-30T14:55:00.000-04:002009-03-30T14:55:00.000-04:00interested to see your review, once complete. i w...interested to see your review, once complete. i would argue that the ability to sue the bastards led to many of the changes in codes, regularions, designs, requirements. there has been an aggressive effort by corporations toward "tort reform" in the past couple of decades; it is sold as "reining in the trial lawyers." not every lawsuit is valid, and not every lawyer is an angel; but there are already ways to sort the totally frivolous lawsuits out before trial. caps on damages and such are pure and simple a way to let corporations get away with knowingly selling unsafe products, or allowing their workers to work in unsafe conditions, etc.<BR/><BR/>you are right about how bad falls can be for elderly and/or compromised folks, of course. my grandmother broke a second hip tripping over a step in her living/dining room; and due to her poor condition, the hip repair broke through. my mother had osteoporosis; her first break was falling off a folding chair. she shattered her knee many years later, broke a hip, and broke another hip in a gentle fall after a stroke. it's too complicated to get into here, but the combo of hip and a stroke was devastating.kathy a.https://www.blogger.com/profile/14479337952651746193noreply@blogger.com