Preventing falls should be a huge priority for you if you have an elderly loved one. Falls are the number one cause of accidental injury death amongst senior citizens, and in most cases, they are absolutely preventable. Now, add to the issue that seniors are much more likely to have weakened bones because of issues like osteoporosis, and the severity becomes even greater. It’s a problem that is best to be addressed before it becomes a reality rather than after the fact.
There are three easy ways to help prevent falls, luckily. Let’s look at each briefly.
Exercise
A lot of falls happen because the senior citizen doesn’t have proper balance on their feet or enough strength. This can sometimes be avoided with exercise. Simple strength building techniques, like walking, light weight resistance, and anything else designed to improve muscle mass will help. Seniors tend to experience muscle atrophy because they are not as active as they used to be. Age related weight loss does more than erode muscle, though. It makes people less sure on their feet. This can lead to a fall, and it can also magnify the damage done if a fall does occur. Simple exercise on a daily basis can help reverse this issue.
Safeguards
Having some simple safeguards in place to make life easier for your elderly loved one will help prevent falls. Have railings installed in the bathroom and around stair areas. Make sure all areas of the home are handicap accessible. Get a wheelchair or a bath chair to make daily routines easier. These things often cost money, but there are also state and local programs out there that can offset costs for you if you need them to be. All of these things are geared toward making your home a safe place for your parent so that the chances of a fall are reduced as they navigate throughout their home.
In-Home Care
Getting an in-home caregiver to help with your loved one is a huge assistance. It makes sure that they are never unsupervised and that there is always an eye on them when you’re not there. In-home care also takes a lot of the stress off the person in need, too. Rather than having to get up and prepare their own lunch, for example, the caregiver can take care of this. Yes, most people long to be independent, but the presence of a caregiver gives someone who needs help the most amount of freedom possible. An in-home care service makes sure that the person can stay in their home, remain independent, and still have the protection and assistance that they need to get through the day with all of their needs fulfilled.
There are other ways to prevent falls, too, but these afford your elderly loved one the most amount of freedom while also giving you the smallest amount of a hassle when it comes to cost and convenience. If you have questions about how to keep your loved one safe, a professional in-home care service will be able to steer you in the right direction.
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