When elderly people live by themselves, the fear of falling down is always present. Although seniors want to walk freely from one room to another, they don’t want to wear digital monitors or consider the possibility of going to an assisted living community.
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If you are concerned about home safety and interested in fall prevention, there are a few things that you can do. This could be something as simple as wearing the right kind of footwear.
Start the process by talking to your doctor. Your doctor can develop a fall prevention plan, but you must talk with him and ask plenty of questions. Your doctor will probably ask about your medications. This can include supplements, prescriptions, OTC items, and vitamins.
Thus, remember to take your actual medications or a list of medications to your doctor appointment. This step in the process is very important because many medicines have side effects that could lead to dangerous falls or accidents.
Your doctor may also ask if you’ve had accidents in the past. Don’t be afraid to tell him the details. This information helps him personalize your fall prevention plan. Provide info such as where you fell, what you were wearing at the time, and what you were doing fell. Also, don’t forget to include those times when you almost fell. These near accidents are important as well.
You may have health conditions such as ear or eye complications that could lead to potentially dangerous falls. It is important that your doctor knows about current or previous health conditions. Also, he might run tests to determine whether you have medical conditions that you may not know about.
Did you know exercising can actually hinder accidents in the home? How? It helps to make your shin bones stronger. As you get older, many times, the shin muscles aren’t used as often. This results in an activity where you shuffle your feet, and this leads to more accidental falls.
Your doctor may suggest that you exercise with Tai Chi. This involves moving in graceful dance movements. They are slow and gentle, but they help strengthen weak shins. He could also suggest that you walk around the block or take senior water aerobics classes.
The good thing is that initiating this gentle type of exercise can aid in fall prevention. But then again, exercise is good for you, even if it doesn’t cut down on your fall accidents. Exercise makes you healthier and more flexible in the long run.
If standing exercises are cause for concern, ask your doctor to suggest exercise programs that can be performed in a chair or in other monitored locations such as in a clinic or gym.
Footwear greatly impacts your feet as well as your body. High heels can negatively impact your body balance. The same thing can be said for flip-flops and floppy house shoes. These are all shoes that can make you fall down more.
But then again, shoes with slippery soles can also make you slip and slide all over the floor. This is why it is best to purchase non-skid or non-slip footwear.
A lot of seniors like to wear socks or go barefoot, but this too is a very risky move. This is especially the case if your home doesn’t have carpet. Purchase socks and shoes that are skid resistant.
There are different types of hazards in all homes. Think about the ones that are present in your home and try to get rid of them all. Become proactive about fall prevention and eliminate as many of these hazards as possible. For instance, electrical and phone cords are hazardous if they are in a location where you can walk through them. Simple things such as boxes and newspapers are also hazardous if they are left in places where you can trip over them and fall.
Move personal belongings to places in the home where you can walk around them instead of through them. For instance, coffee tables, plant stands, and magazine racks can be positioned where you won’t have to encounter them every time you walk from room to room. Put them as close to the sofa as possible.
Save space and cut down on accidents by putting little items such as magazines and books under the coffee table. Also, consider getting rid of rugs or tacking them down so that you don’t stumble over them.
The goal is to increase fall prevention by securing loose items within your home. This includes things such as floor coverings, floorboards, and even carpeting. The goal is to either secure it or get rid of it.
Consider using nonslip bath mats or purchasing those that actually stick to the bathtub bottom. Also, think about your bathing situation. Get a shower chair or remodel your bathroom so that it includes a walk-in tub.
Improving the lighting in your home can also cut down on accidents. Always turn on the light when you walk into a new room. Yes, you may know every nook and cranny in your home, but it is best to be safe than sorry. Make sure that you can see everything before walking into a room.
If you don’t like bright lights because of your eyes, then consider getting night lights in the hallways or putting lamps in various places throughout the house. You could also put dimmer switches on different lights.
If your neighborhood loses power quite frequently, then put flashlights all through the home so that you can get to one very quickly. Purchase flashlights that plug into the wall socket. These work wonderfully as night lights. But the main thing is that they are always charged for when you really need them.
Sometimes senior care involves being able to step into their shoes before you can properly care for them. View the world as to how they see it. When you think about it, caring for an elderly loved one is just like caring for a child. You have to go through the home and make sure that everything is safe for them.
The difference is that seniors want to live in their own homes instead of in an assisted living community. This means that you must account for each person’s needs and how their home can accommodate those needs. Is there enough physical space and is it properly secured? Consider your loved one’s medical challenges when securing their home. Does he or she have decreased mobility, diminishing eyesight or hearing? This means taking special precautions to ensure that each room is free of hazards.
Lighting
-Each room must have adequate lighting. Put as many light switches in the home as possible.
-Put light switches as close to doors as possible. Your loved one should be able to turn on the light before walking into the room.
-Put bright lights in dark places such as foyers, hallways, stairs, and corners.
-Put night lights in locations such as hallways, foyers, stairs, bathrooms and even bedrooms. Place flashlights in frequented spots such as their favorite chair. Purchase table lamps that are easy to turn off and on and place them in various places throughout the home.
Flooring
-Ensure all flooring has a good grip. Slippery floors should be covered with rubber flooring. If you cannot afford new flooring, use non-skid wax on slippery flooring.
-Remove rugs because seniors can slip and fall on them.
Stairs
-Make sure all stairways have dual railings.
-Make sure the home has ramps instead of steps. Put them above the door sill or remove them so that wheelchair access is available.
-Make sure handrails are installed on each side of a hallway or staircase.
Bathroom
-Put grab bars in the bathroom in places such as in the shower or near the toilet. Also, install bath mats that stick to the bathtub. Bath rugs should be anti-slip.
-Add bath stools and chairs.
-Make it easy for your loved one to reach everything with ease.
-Ensure that the tube is skid-proof.
-Ensure the faucets are properly marked with both hot and cold taps.
-Ensure door locks are easy to lock and unlock from both the inside and outside of the door.
Kitchen
-Make sure the kitchen has numerous choices of foods that are easy to open, heat and reheat.
-Make sure food is rotated so that it does not spoil. Watch the expiration dates.
-Ensure utensils are safe and within easy reach.
-Put sharp items such as knives out of reach. Also, when they are not used, make sure that they are stored in racks.
-Put heavier kitchen items at waist level.
-Replace heavy dishes and glassware with unbreakable items.
-Separate hazardous items from food items.
Medication
-Inspect all medication. Make sure all required medication is on hand.
-Take your loved one to his or her scheduled doctor appointments.
-Make sure all medication is clearly labeled.
-Get rid of expired medication.
-Ensure all medication is dispensed or bubble packed.
Alarms
-Ensure all alarm systems such as smoke detectors work. Replace batteries when necessary.
-Make sure the home has an accessible fire extinguisher.
-Ensure there is a buddy system or medical alert system set in place.
Miscellaneous
-Attach rubber tips to all walking support items. This helps with fall prevention and cuts down on skid and slip accidents.
-Remove all clutter from the home. Try to eliminate low furniture such as footstools and coffee tables. These items increase the possibility trip and fall accidents.
-Remove low furniture from all hallways or other high trafficked areas. Also, get rid of loose cables and cords that could be hazardous in these areas.
Conclusion
The goal is to allow your loved one to live freely within his own home. This means ensuring home safety and monitoring activities from a safe distance. Consider hiring a home care aide to help you with this responsibility. Not only will this help your loved one keep his independence, but it will also provide emotional and moral support. This could include anything from helping them with simple spills to rising out of their chair. Help loved ones enjoy life comfortable and safely on their own terms, within their own home.