AVOID FALLS IN THE HOME.
Falls at home.
Statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicate that falls among seniors result in cuts, head injuries, and cuts that can culminate in fatalities or incapacitation. Additionally, half of the elderly who fall at their home report to doctors. Therefore, it is imperative to fallproof home to ensure the safety of the elderly and other house occupants. These fall prevention changes do not necessitate complete remodeling of the home, but rather a comprehensive coverage that mitigates safety.
Physician consultation.
The elderly can visit their doctor to know the medications they take and health conditions that increase their risk of falling at home. Some medications have potential side that increase the propensity of falling due to making the patient drowsy such as antidepressants and sedatives. Additionally, some conditions of the eye, ear, and conditions causing joint pain, dizziness, breathing problems, and numbness of the feet. Insight on the medications and health conditions protect the elderly and making informed decisions on prevent falls at home.
Clear up hazards at home.
One of the first steps of fall proofing your home is to remove hazards in the hallways, stairways, bedrooms, bathrooms, kitchens, and living rooms. These hazards include boxes, electrical cords from stairways and hallways. Additionally, torn or loose carpets must be repaired immediately. In bathrooms, homeowners should place nonslip mats and bath seats if possible.
Nonslip mats prevent falls highly wet regions of the house such as kitchens, showers, and porches. Moreover, immediate cleaning of spilled liquids such as food and grease is necessary, removal of coffee tables, plant stand, and magazine racks from hallways.
Fix assistive devices.
Physicians recommend that the elderly use devices such as walkers or canes to assist when walking. Other assistive tools that homeowners must install to prevent falls at home include handrails on either stairway sides, nonslip treads, raised toilet seats or with an armrest, hand-held shower fixtures, and grab bars on bathtubs and showers. The handrails assist the elderly get off or on the toilet and bathtubs, walk up and down the staircases without falling. Besides, the elderly can live one floor level to prevent tripping or falling on stair cases especially for individuals that might fail to tread carefully in such areas.
Light up the house.
To prevent tripping or home falling, brightly lighting up all rooms and areas in the house is crucial. Hallways, bedrooms, and bathrooms must have night-lights to improve vision of object that are difficult to see. Additionally, homeowners should clear hallways or paths leading to light switches and if possible install illuminated switches. The elderly should store flashlights in easy to find areas to use during power outages and lamps in the bedroom within reach for use at night.
Moreover, bedrooms should have a telephone near the bed, additional night-lights, witches, and a flashlight.
Clothing and footwear.
The elderly should avoid loose clothes that might seem comfortable but potentiate the risk of falling at home. Conversely, seniors should gown properly hemmed and better-fitting clothes that do not drag bunch up in the ground. Baggy clothes can make one fall when walking especially on the stairs.
Additionally, avoid wearing loose socks at home since it can potentiate the risk of tripping. Contrarily, seniours who like wearing socks can opt for non-slip socks with grips or wearing shoes. Consider footwear that prevent falling and avoid floppy slippers, shoes without a grip, and high heels since they can make the elderly easily slip, fall, or stumble when walking. Therefore, use properly fitting and footwear with nonskid soles.
Medical experts state that wearing sensible footwear reduce joint pain in the elderly.
Physical activity.
The elderly can incorporate recommended gentle physical exercises and maneuvers by their physician to enhance strength, flexibility, balance, and coordination. These simple exercises reduce the potential of falling at home but must occur under the supervision of a therapist who makes a custom exercise routine muscle strength, balance, and gait.
In addition, doctors recommend careful and slow movement of the elderly to avoid falling at home. Moving carefully, allows the elderly to take pauses, maintain a steady posture, and prevent falls.