Fall Prevention Tips For The Elderly

Among the elderly, falls are more common. In fact, falls are the leading cause of injury-related deaths in those aged 65 years and older. This is because the bones become brittle and weak with age--which makes it harder for the body to recover after a fall.

With over two million people being sent to the emergency department each year, fall prevention should be prioritized not just in homes--but also in residential care facilities. To make your home residential safe for seniors, you may consider following fall prevention tips for the elderly.

Here are some fall prevention tips for the elderly:

1. Use nonslip mats

 Nonslip mats in bathrooms are used for safety reasons. They prevent accidents from happening when someone slips and falls while getting out of the bathtub or shower. The mat also prevents injuries when someone trips and falls on the floor. Using more nonslip mats will most likely prevent the fall of older adults. 

2. Install grab bars

 Grab bars are the best way to prevent falls from heights, including stairs and ladders. The best way to avoid injuries is to use a grab bar when getting out of bed, shower, bathtub, or any other place where seniors might fall. It's advisable to install grab bars on slippery areas of your residential care homes, such as near showers, bathtubs, and toilets.

3. Use better lighting

Vision problems are common among seniors--so make sure that you are providing adequate lighting throughout your care facility. Prioritize areas that are likely to walk in the middle of the night, including hallways and stairways. 

4. Clean clutter

Cleaning clutter will allow you to get rid of the little objects that might cause slip or fall. Make sure that your care facility is cleaned not just every week, but also every day. Promoting "Clean as you go" to seniors in the care facility will also help you to manage the clutter and decrease the chances of falling.

5. Repair flooring

Checking your flooring for damages or issues every once in a while will help you lessen accidents in the care facility. Call a handyman to check whether your floorings need repairing or replacements to prevent fall--see to it that there are no uneven or crumbling floors.

6. Educate seniors about safety tips

Seniors are at risk for accidents due to age-related changes such as vision loss, poor hearing, and reduced reflexes. This makes them vulnerable to falls, which can lead to serious injuries or death. The best way to prevent these accidents is to educate seniors about how to stay safe--conduct weekly discussions on how to prevent falls in your care facility. This way, they would know what to do and what to avoid to be safe. 

 
7. Put warning signs 

Since some seniors forget about instructions and reminders, putting warning signs throughout your care facility will help them to be cautious. For example, if the facility is being cleaned and the floor is slippery, warning signs should be put to warn them. 

8. Promote daily exercise

Exercise helps keep seniors healthy, fit, and active. Not only this can help them prevent falls and future accidents, but this also means they can live longer and happier lives. Seniors who exercise regularly also tend to be less depressed and anxious. To add, they also feel better about themselves and their ability to cope with daily life.

9. Ask them to have a regular eye check-up

Seniors should visit their eye doctor at least once per year. Regular eye exams help detect vision loss early, allowing doctors to provide treatment options. Early detection also helps prevent serious conditions such as glaucoma and macular degeneration. With a regular eye check-up, seniors can monitor their eye health address issues if there are any.

10. Ask them to wear well-fitted shoes with a gripping rubber sole

Well-fitted shoes are essential because they help prevent falls among older adults—the risk of falling increases when feet become too big or too small. When wearing ill-fitting shoes, the foot becomes unstable and causes balance problems. Additionally, wearing ill-fitting shoes can allow seniors to experience pain in their feet, ankles, knees, hips, back, and lower legs. This can lead to muscle strain, arthritis, and other health issues.

Conclusion

Aside from improving your residential care facility, it's essential to know that the most common cause of falls among seniors is poor balance. This can happen when people lose muscle strength as they age or become unsteady due to illness. Other causes include vision problems, dizziness, medication side effects, and lack of exercise. To prevent falls, make sure your residential care facility has good lighting and grab bars throughout the house. Prevention is always better than cure--that's why it is important always to follow helpful tips that can prevent future accidents for seniors.

At Elegant Care Villa, we are focused on providing safe residential care facilities for your elderly loved ones. Our services include companionship care, recreational activities, and more. Learn more about our services here.