As we get older a fall can affect us in more serious ways including major injury, so it’s best to take the measures to prevent them as much as possible. Having fall prevention measures in place can improve an elderly person’s quality of life as it helps them overcome the fear of falling.
Home Fall Prevention Techniques
Tips for elderly fall hazard prevention in the home are:
- Use non-slip mats and rugs
- Immediately clean up spillages
- Don’t have wires running across the floor
- Keep your house well lit whilst walking around
- Get help for anything you don’t feel safe doing e.g. reaching for something on the top shelf
- Wear well-fitting shoes that support your ankles.
- Keep your house tidy and organised
As well as keeping your house tidy and organised it is just as important to take care of your own health to prevent fall-related injuries. Being in good health means your stability and balance is optimised. Eating well will improve your muscle and bone health so if a fall does occur you are less likely to end up being severely injured.
Healthy at Home to Prevent Falls
Here are 4 simple fall prevention examples:
- Look after your health – Good health reduces the risk of falling as you are more stable on your feet. Keep up to date with medical appointments including sight tests. Make sure you look after your eyes by wearing the right prescription glasses and check with your doctor that any medication you are on doesn’t cause drowsiness.
- Stay active – Fall prevention exercises for seniors includes working on strength and balance. By doing simple activities such as walking and dancing you are not only working on your strength and balance to reduce the risk of falling but you are also looking after your overall health.
- Have a healthy diet – Having a balanced healthy diet gives you the nutrients you need to keep your muscles strong and working well. Staying hydrated is also just as important.
- Ask for help when needed – It is important to know when to ask for support, pushing yourself to do something that you are not physically able to do can result in serious injury. Talk to your doctor if you are worried about your stability, they might advise you to use fall prevention equipment such as a walker or a walking stick. Or contact us and we can match you with one of our dedicated carers to assist you when needed.
By following our suggested ways to prevent falls you keep yourself safe and prevent hospitalisation from a serious fall-related injury. If you need some extra support for either around the house or when you are out and about doing activities talk to us today about our home care services and we will discuss your needs with you. We have a carer perfect for you.
