What Changes Can Make a Home Fall-Proof?
Home Care in Avon OH: Helping Seniors Reduce Falls
Falls pose a real risk to older adults. They can result in injuries like fractures, cuts, and bruises. They can also lead to disability and even death. Sometimes after a senior falls, they aren’t able to remain in their homes without assistance and have to move in with family members or into long-term care facilities. To help them stay safely in their own homes for as long as possible, it can help to fall-proof the home. Below are some changes you can make that will help to prevent falls.
Secure or Remove Loose Rugs
Throw rugs are easy to trip over. Their corners flip up or fold over, creating a ridge to catch the toe on. They can also scoot across the floor when the senior steps on them. Removing or securing loose throw rugs eliminates those hazards. Double-sided tape that is designed for holding rugs is available at most hardware stores.
Rearrange Furniture
Walking through a house with lots of furniture that infringes on walkways can seem like running an obstacle course. Seniors might catch their foot on the leg of a coffee or end table or they might bump into the arm of a chair or sofa, causing them to lose their balance. Move furniture out of walkways to create a clear path. If your aging relative has a habit of holding on to furniture as they walk, make sure the items that are in easy reach are sturdy and not likely to tip.
Increase Lighting
Many older adults have vision problems that can make seeing fall hazards difficult. Increasing the lighting in the home can make a difference. Add additional light fixtures or increase the wattage of bulbs in overhead fixtures but pay attention to fixture advisories and don’t use a wattage that is too high for the fixture.
Add Grab Bars
The bathroom is one place that seniors can fall. Floors in bathrooms are usually tile or linoleum, which is slippery, to begin with. Then, add water, and the floor gets even slipperier. In addition to putting non-slip stickers in tubs and showers, add grab bars to the walls. Place grab bars near the toilet and shower to give the older adult something to hold on to when they stand up or get out of the bath. Home care can assist with making a home fall-proof.
Home care providers can ensure walkways remain clear by removing clutter that can accumulate near furniture, such as magazines and newspapers. Home care providers can also change lightbulbs to keep the house brightly lit.
If you are considering Home Care Avon, OH, for an aging loved one, please contact the caring staff at Four Seasons Home Care today: (440) 716-9100.
Sources https://www.n4a.org/files/PreventingFalls.pdf
https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/healthy-aging/in-depth/fall-prevention/art-20047358https://
www.everydayhealth.com/longevity/future-planning/prevent-falls-at-home.aspx
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