Falling, or accidentally and unexpectedly landing on the ground, usually happens in familiar environments while you are doing your normal, daily activities. You may fall when something pushes you, you trip, you lose consciousness (from a seizure, stroke, or other health problem), or you are experiencing the symptoms of a new illness.
Falls have serious consequences. One out of five falls does causes a serious injury, such as a broken bone or a head injury. In older adults, they are the number one cause of hospital admissions for injuries. The older you are, the more likely falls are to threaten your ability to live at home and increase your risk of an early death.
Falls are very common among older adults, especially those who have multiple chronic conditions. An older person falls every second of the day, and one out of three older adults living at home falls every year.
Since we only care about you and your loved ones well being, we gathered a few tips and recommendations on how to prevent falling and causing serious injuries:
- Wear shoes that are comfortable and fit well – they should be wide enough in the toe area, have low or no heels, and have slip-resistant soles.
- Have good lighting, especially between the bed and the bathroom or toilet at night and near any internal steps. Replace light globes with CFL energy efficient light globes of 12 watts or higher. Use plug-in night-lights and have movement-sensitive lights near stairs and the bathroom. These lights are available from most hardware stores.
- Repair or replace carpets with worn areas, holes or long threads.
- Make sure that chairs and beds are sturdy and easy to get into and out of, and that tables and benches do not have sharp corners.
- Avoid having highly polished floorboards.
- Avoid wearing clothing that is too long or touching the floor, as this can cause you to trip over.
- Install grab rails next to steps that do not have hand rails.
- Live at an Assisted Living Facility where the staff will take care of you every moment to avoid you or your loved one getting hurt.
Serenity Pointe meets all the necessary requirements so elders live a great and safe daily life, if you’re interested in visiting our facility just schedule a tour Here.