Falls are a serious, yet often overlooked part of a strong senior care plan. Statistics say that about one in three people over the age of 65 will fall each year. Other sources indicate that over 80 percent of people that die in fall related injuries are over the age of 65. While this doesn’t mean that everyone over that’s over the age of 65 is at a serious risk of falling, it does show us that we need to be far more careful when it comes to the safety and overall health of the people that we love.
When looking at senior care, it also highlights the fact that those involved as professionals need to be extra vigilant when it comes to fall prevention. In-home care professionals might not be interior designers, but sometimes a simple rearrangement of furniture can help eliminate falls. Caregivers with experience have spent enough time helping people that they know what kinds of things work, and what does not. Putting chairs and other pieces of furniture where they are most useful and long walks are eliminated can help make a room flow better and make them more user friendly for your elderly loved ones as they use their rooms.
In the kitchen, keep the items that are used most frequently in easy to access areas. Try to avoid trip hazards and reduce the amount of walking that is needed. Removing caster wheels from stands and other pieces of furniture can also be helpful. This gives your mom or dad something stable to hold onto if needed. Yes, these things are not actual supports, but if balance is momentarily lost, a stable item is far more beneficial than something that will slide around. Also, having a cordless phone in a few rooms can help your loved one if they need to answer a call or make an emergency call as there will be a source of communication nearby.
About a third of falls can easily be prevented.
There’s a lot of good things that can come from this. Let’s look back at statistics to start with. According to official estimates, one in three falls is easily preventable. That means that a third of the safety of your loved one within the home is fairly easy to implement. Things like making sure that floors and walkways are clear, supports are installed in high traffic areas, around stairs, and throughout the bathroom, and putting up safety railings in the bedroom can go a long way toward eliminating needless injuries.
Many more injuries can be eliminated through education. For example, a little bit of exercise can go a long way toward eliminating fall injuries. When more muscle is on the body, joints and bones have more protection, and some of the serious results of a fall can be reduced. Also, stronger legs have more balance, and some of the close calls that we have all seen occur with our family members can be reduced. These “near misses” add up over time, and the fewer there are of them, the better the odds of staying safe.
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