I’m a geriatrician — the 10-second test every adult should give their parents

Your parents’ health may hang in the balance. Falls are the leading cause of fatal and nonfatal injuries for adults over 65, with about 14 million falling each year. For those caring for aging parents and worried about their risk of falling, knowing what signs to look for can make all the difference — and it only takes about 10 seconds. Falls are the leading cause of injuries for elderly adults, but keeping an eye out for simple signs could reduce the risk. LIGHTFIELD STUDIOS – stock.adobe.com While falling risk increases as we age, it rarely “comes out of nowhere,” according to geriatric specialist Dr. Anita Chandra. Many people show subtle changes beforehand. How they perform four key actions “can be early signs of declining strength or balance.” Enter the Timed Up and Go (TUG) test, a f