Fall Prevention

Fall Prevention Trip on the Heater

5 Ways to Make Any Room Safer

Fall prevention is a major concern, especially for adults over 65. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, falls are a leading cause of fatal injury amongst older adults.

Every 13 seconds, an older adult receives treatment in an emergency room after being injured in a fall. And many of these falls happened in the patient’s homes.

Fall prevention is often an overlooked hazard

The good news is that most falls that take place in the home can be prevented. In fact, you can make any living space sifter in just five steps.

 Step 1.  Deal With Obvious Tripping Hazards

A messy living space that’s packed with clutter is a minefield of tripping hazards. So remove anything from the living space that doesn’t need to be there, like:

  • Stacks of old magazines and newspapers.
  • Boxes of clothes and knickknacks.
  • Broken furniture.

Also, make sure walkways are open and bright. It means keeping electrical cords tucked away, and removing decorative items, like plant stand and coat racks.

If something falls on the floor, don’t leave it there for someone to trip over. Pick it up immediately.

 Step 2. Search for Harder-to-Spot Dangers

It’s easy to spot obvious tripping hazards, like a shoe lying in the middle of the floor. But other dangers aren’t always as easy to spot. For example, you might not know a rug is loose until you trip over it. So search the living space for less obvious tripping risks. These can include:

  • Free carpets.
  • Wobbly steps and shaky railings.
  • Loose floor boards.
  • Linoleum tiles that have started to curl up.

Once you find a tripping hazard, fix it (or hire a professional do it) as soon as possible.

 Step 3. Make Sure There’s Adequate Lighting

Many people fall because they can’t see well enough to avoid a trip hazard. Like that book lying in the middle of the hallway.

So make sure the living space is well-lit.

Brighten up dimly lit stairways, hallways, and closets.

Ideally, you should be able to turn on the light in a room before you walk into it.

 Step 4. Install Assistive Devices

A handrail or grab rail can keep a trip from turning into a fall and possibly an injury.

Install handrails in every hallway and stairway. And make sure to place those handrails on both sides.

In bathrooms, use grab rails near the toilets. There should also be grab rails on the insides and outsides of tubs and showers.

 Step 5. Prevent Slipping

Falls usually happen on a wet floor or a loose rug.

To prevent falls, put non-stick mats on any surface that could get wet, like porches, entryway floors, and kitchen floors. And use bath safety hand rails in bathtubs and showers.

To hold area rugs in place, you can use slip-resistant backing or carpet tape.

Falling is one of the leading causes of accidents, both fatal and non-fatal, among older adults. But if you follow these five fall prevention tips, you can eliminate most falling hazards, and make any living space safer.

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