Fall Prevention in the Home

Preventing Falls in the Home

Each year throughout the United States more than 3 million older adults end up in the emergency room due to injuries they suffer as a result of falls.

In the same time frame, nearly 30,000 older adults die as a result of falls. Each year, more than 300,000 seniors are hospitalized with hip fractures as a result of falls, putting them at twice the risk of dying within the next calendar year.

These statistics can be staggering, but as a family caregiver, it is extremely important to not only acknowledge them, but to recognize the extreme importance of making preventing these falls a central element of your care routine with your parent.

There are many ways you can modify your senior's surroundings and routine in their home to reduce fall risk, and protect their safety as they age in place.

Use these tips to reduce fall risk for your senior throughout their home:

• Remove floor coverings such as rugs or runners that are not even or that slide or slip easily
• Identify areas of flooring that are uneven, such as thresholds or sunken rooms, and take steps to cover or smooth these areas, or to mark them so they are easier to notice
• Add rubber grip pieces to the edge of steps to provide friction and more confidence climbing up and down
• Add lighting throughout the home to eliminate shady areas and make it easier to notice things such as corners or items on the floor
• Keep items they use most frequently in the kitchen on the counter or shelves at waist height. This will allow your parent to avoid reaching, bending, stretching, or climbing, all of which can lead to your parent losing their balance and falling
• Purchase items in smaller quantities, or transfer large quantities of items such as detergents into smaller containers that are easier for your parent to lift
• Consider lowering their bed so their feet are securely on the ground when they sit on the edge
• Install a walk-in tub or shower so your parent does not have to make a large step into and out of the tub
• Consider a chair lift for the stairs

Home Care Helps Prevent Falls and Injury

As a family caregiver, it is easy for you to worry about your aging parent's safety when they are home alone.

You know it's important to your parent to be able to stay in their own home as they age or to transition into another home where they can maintain as much independence and autonomy as possible.

Challenges and limitations such as mobility issues, balance problems, and even cognitive functioning decline, however, can threaten their safety, and make you worry about their ability to maintain this type of lifestyle.

If you feel this way, now may be the perfect time for you to consider home care. Having an in-home senior care services provider in the home with your aging parent can ease your mind, and reassure you that your parent is safe, and that their needs are being met even when you are not able to be with them.

Resources

https://www.cdc.gov/homeandrecreationalsafety/falls/adultfalls.html 

http://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/falls 

http://www.latimes.com/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-fatal-falls-rising-20180510-story.html

At Family First Home Companions of Long Island, NY our mission is to provide an outstanding home care service that is professional and personalized.  We diligently hire attentive, qualified staff to meet each client’s unique needs and do so with compassion and integrity.  It is an honor and a privilege to help seniors at home to maintain their independence and quality of life in Long Island, NY.  If you or a senior loved one needs help with daily activities such as, meal preparation, household chores, errands, transportation, guidance and supervision for safety at home, please call Family First Home Companions at 631-319-3961.  We proudly serve seniors at home in Albertson, Amityville, Babylon, Baldwin, Bayport, Bay Shore, Bayville, Bellerose Terrace, Bellmore, Bellport, Bethpage, Blue Point, Bohemia, Brentwood, Brightwaters, Brookhaven, Brookville, Calverton, Carle Place, Cedarhurst, Center Moriches, Centereach, Centerport, Central Islip, Cold Spring Harbor, Commack, Copiague, Coram, Deer Park, Dix Hills, East Islip, East Marion, East Meadow, East Moriches, East Northport, East Norwich, East Patchogue, East Quogue, East Rockaway, East Setauket, Eastport, Elmont, Elwood, Farmingdale, Farmingville, Floral Park, Franklin Square, Freeport,  Garden City, Glen Head Glenwood Landing,  Great Neck, Great River, Greenlawn, Greenvale, Hampton Bays, Hauppauge, Hempstead, Hewlett, Hicksville, Holbrook, Holtsville, Huntington, Huntington Station, Inwood,  Island Park, Islandia, Islip, Islip Terrace, Jamesport, Jericho, Kings Park, Kings Point, Lake Grove, Lawrence, Levittown, Lindenhurst, Lloyd Harbor, Locust Valley, Lynbrook, Malverne, Manhasset, Manorville, Massapequa, Massapequa Park, Mastic, Mastic Beach, Medford, Melville, Merrick, Middle Island, Mill Neck, Miller Place, Mineola, Moriches, Mount Sinai, Nesconset, New Hyde Park, North Amityville, North Babylon, North Lynbrook, North New Hyde Park, North Patchogue, North Valley Stream, North Woodmere,  Northport, Oakdale, Oceanside, Old Bethpage, Old Westbury, Oyster Bay, Patchogue,  Plainview, Port Jefferson, Port Jefferson Station, Port Washington, Quogue, , Ridge, Riverhead, Rockville Centre, Rocky Point, Ronkonkoma, Roosevelt, Roslyn,  Roslyn Heights, Saint James, Sands Point, Sayville, Sea Cliff, Seaford, Selden, Shirley, Shoreham, Smithtown, Sound Beach, South Hempstead, Southampton, Stony Brook, Syosset, Uniondale, Upton, Valley Stream, Wading River, Wantagh, West Babylon, West Hempstead, West Islip, West Sayville, Westbury, Westhampton, Westhampton Beach, Williston Park, Woodbury, Woodmere, Wyandanch, Yaphank