Worry About Your Parent Falling? Three Important Safety Tips Every Caregiver Needs to Know.
Nothing is worse than worrying, and caregivers tend to worry a lot. You call your mom. You stop by your parents often. You look for bruises or see if they’re limping. Would they tell you if they took a spill? You want to preserve your loved one’s freedom, but how do you know if they’re safe?
Why do elders fall so often? Lots of reasons: Some of the culprits are high blood pressure, low blood pressure, Parkinson’s, MS, arthritis, poor eye sight, or even blood sugar levels could factor in.
Many falls happen on or around stairs. You may want to consider a stair lift if you feel your parent simply can’t navigate even the best of stairs. The modest cost investment could give you the peace of mind you need and allow your parents to live in their own home for many more years.
Prevention is the key, so let’s look at three major areas that contribute to most falls. (http://www.docstoc.com/docs/10924161/Tips-to-Prevent-Falls-to-Elders)
Living Free Home Accessibility Solutions can help you make sure your home is more fall-proof. Our Accessibility Solutions are wide ranging and perfect for allowing continued in-home living. For instance, our barrier-free bathroom solutions are a great place to start. These allow you or your parent to roll right into the shower on a wheelchair and transfer to a seat. Stop by one of our showrooms to see the display.
3 Important Safety Tips to Prevent Falls:
Lighting Issues—many elders like their houses dark. They may be trying to conserve electricity, or their eyes may be light sensitive due to glaucoma or other eye conditions. It’s important to make sure that halls and stairs have proper lighting. Check light bulbs and put hall lights on a timer and make sure they’re on in the morning and again at night when stairs are in use.
Clutter Issues—nothing contributes to falls more than clutter. Many seniors gain a sense of comfort by having sentimental items displayed, or practical items within reach. If these items are near stairs, they can contribute to falls. Also check for loose carpeting. Don’t just nag, remove the items that concern you. Deciding what stays or go may be overwhelming for your parents. Quietly and discreetly put the item in a safer place, or find it a new home (mum’s the word—don’t argue the point, just do it). Also check for loose carpeting.
Repair Issues—many seniors live in homes that have major repair issues. They may have lived in their home for 30, 40 years, and it’s easy to let home maintenance slip when health concerns begin to surface. From front stairs leading into the home, to basement stairs that have dry rot, to broken or cracked concrete, areas of disrepair can represent a real hazard.
Spend the afternoon with your parents and watch their normal pattern of movement and see what trips them or what areas they avoid. Start at your car and walk through your parent’s yard, entrance, house, basement, garage and back area. Take notes. Make a priority list and tackle one item at a time. Don’t get overwhelmed, but stay on track.
A good day is a no fall day.
There are many parts of the home where Living Free Home Accessibility Solutions can help ensure you’re more fall-proof. From the driveway, to the stairway, to bathrooms, bedrooms and chairs, we’ve thought of everything to make sure you or your loved ones can continue to live happily and safely in their home. See the links above.
