By Dan Lynch   Occupational Therapist   VNS Health   Bronx Voice  October 6, 2025 NEW YORK - When I first met 87-year-old Lydia, I was coming to help her recover from a fall. More than the physical impact she had suffered, though, I quickly saw how the fall had made her fearful and that this was also impacting her quality of life As I’ve found when I’m out in the field as an occupational therapist with VNS Health, Lydia was not alone— falls are alarmingly common among older adults . Having purchased a new, comfortable mattress, she also was now sleeping in a bed that was much higher for her—in fact, not long after getting her new bed, she suffered from a fall while she was getting out of it on her way to the bathroom. Afraid of injuring herself again, she had taken to sleeping with her pet cat on her c...