While a small trip over a rug may seem minor to some, it can result in a life-threatening fall for those of older age. The reality is that one in four Americans aged 65+ falls each year and every 19 minutes, an older adult dies from a fall.
When someone of older age experiences a fall, they can be seriously and even fatally injured. From broken bones to head injuries, this individual could also be unable to seek emergency assistance, putting them in a very dangerous and life-threatening situation. Even if they are able to seek help, it is common that their injuries can temporarily or even permanently affect their quality of life.
While some situations are inevitable, there are steps that can be taken to help prevent the possibility of a life-altering fall. As a caregiver, there are a few things you can do to help prevent a dangerous fall from occurring while still retaining your loved one’s independence.
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Speak to a Doctor
Discussing their general health with their doctor can be beneficial in helping you, as a caregiver, understand factors that could be affecting their balance. Certain medications, ear conditions, eye conditions, and physical injuries can have a strong impact on our balance and can put your loved one at a high risk of falling. Getting regular health screenings, eye exams, and discussing drug side effects with your loved one and their doctor, could help resolve health issues affecting their balance and in turn prevent a fall.
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Get Regular Exercise
Help them stay healthy and strong by keeping active. Exercise helps keep our muscles strong as we age and can have a great impact on our ability to not only maintain balance but help to mitigate the damage caused by a major fall. While exercises such as walking and jogging help your cardiovascular system and can improve general mobility, activities such as Tai Chi and water aerobics help build and maintain strength in muscle groups that are essential to balance.
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Mobility Equipment
While regular exercise is essential to maintaining a healthy body, mobility may be difficult for some. Investing in the correct mobility device for your loved one can help improve their strength, quality of life, and help prevent a fall.
If you notice your loved one often bracing themselves on walls, furniture, or another person to walk or stand up, it may be time to start looking into mobility devices. There are a range of these devices such as canes, walkers, wheelchairs, and even scooters that could help improve mobility and balance.
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Home Safety Assessment
Assessing your loved one’s home or living quarters is an essential part of fall prevention. Do a walkthrough of their home and improve possible trip hazards, poor lighting, proper handrails, and appropriate ramps.
Ensuring proper lighting in each room will make it much easier to see and avoid trip hazards in the home. If their home has stairs, make sure two sturdy hand railings, a chair lift device, or a ramp has been installed on each staircase. In the bathroom, make sure that there are strong supporting handrails near the toilet and bathtub to improve the ease of movement in and out of each area.
If you are unsure if your loved one’s home is safe, please feel free to contact us and we can arrange an in-home safety assessment to ensure all possible safety issues are addressed and improved.
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Medical Alert Device
If in the event of a fall or any emergency it is always important to be prepared. Medical alert devices, such as Life Alert or Medical Guardian, can help an individual seek help if they are in an emergency situation and cannot reach the phone to dial 911.
Unfortunately, when falls occur they can cause serious or even life-threatening injuries that can leave an individual unable to move or seek help. These high-tech devices are worn around the neck or wrist and are a direct line to emergency dispatchers. If your loved one falls or has a medical emergency, they will be able to contact help and have an ambulance dispatched immediately.
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Hiring a Home Health Professional
To many, retaining a sense of independence is very important as they age. But it’s important to know when it’s time to seek professional help. Having a home health professional from our companionship program, check on your loved one regularly and help them with daily tasks can help prevent an accident.
If you are considering hiring a home health care professional, please contact us for more details and we will place you with the right individual to suit your needs.
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