Fall Prevention: Be Proactive and Prevent an Accident

The majority of our time is spent at home, especially during the retirement years, so it’s no wonder that 60% of all falls occur in the home. Falls are also the leading cause of hip replacement surgery and traumatic brain injury in seniors. The safer you can make your home, the better.

Fall prevention in the home can be done over the course of a weekend. While a few suggestions may require some tools and the assistance of a local handyman, most of the changes are easy to do on your own, or with the assistance of a friend, family member, or companion.

7 Simple Steps to Fall Prevention

1. Remove obstructions. This may seem like an obvious step, but you’d be surprised. We get used to our homes the way they are and forget that the corner of the area rug by the couch sticks up, or the lamp cord in the living room forms a barrier between the couch and the television. As eyesight begins to dim, steps grow less steady, and balance wavers, the obstructions we have become used to can cause a fall.
2. No-slip mats for area rugs. Ideally, surface rugs should be removed completely in a fall proof home to prevent the edges from becoming trip hazards. However, if you won’t budge with a favorite rug on your hard surface flooring, make sure you have no-slip mats underneath to keep it in place.
3. Widen the space between furniture. Make sure there is ample room to navigate around tables, chairs, and couches. You may want to eliminate an end table or chair in order to create more space.
4. Adequate lighting. The better lit an area is, the better you will be able to see. If you are experiencing vision loss, increase the wattage on your lights to provide a brighter interior. Replace light bulbs as soon as they go out. Consider using motion-sensitive exterior lighting fixtures so you don’t have to remember to turn them on/off, but will always have ample lighting at night when you need it. Use night lights in bathrooms, bedrooms, hallways, and the kitchen. Make sure to have a bedside light within reach of your bed.
5. Clear stairways and hallways. It is often a habit to place things on the stairs, or in the hallway, with the intention of “putting them away later.” This is a dangerous habit. Put things away immediately and keep all walkways free of objects that can trip you up.
6. Attach carpet on stairways. Make sure any carpet on your stairways is securely fastened on every stair. Otherwise, remove the rug/carpet and attach slip-proof tape for added security.
7. Handrails and grab bars. There should be easily accessible hand rails and grab bars on all stair ways, in your tub and shower, and next to the toilet. The bathroom is the most dangerous room in the house, so give extra special attention to fall prevention measures here.

The sooner you fall proof your home, the less likely you will be to suffer unnecessary pain and injury. For more information about home health safety, contact HomeAide Home Care, Inc.