How to Prevent Loved Ones From Falling in their Home
If you have an elderly family member or friend living on their own, you may have started to notice that it is becoming increasingly more difficult for them to take care of themselves. This circumstance can make it easy to worry about their health and safety. One of the things you might be concerned about is your loved one falling and injuring themselves.
Your elderly loved one falling can be very serious. Take heart, there are things caregivers can do to minimize that risk.
Remove All Tripping Hazards
Take a look around your loved one’s home and remove anything that is going to be a tripping hazard.
This includes items like rugs, cords, throw pillows with tassels or fringe on them, etc.
If you have any furniture in the house that doesn’t seem stable enough for use any more due to age or wear-and-tear, get rid of it. It could cause your loved one to fall over if they lean against it too hard while getting up from their chair.
Install Handrails and Grab Bars
If your loved one is still capable of walking around on their own, you should consider installing handrails and grab bars in some key places in their home, such as the bathroom and bedroom.
This can help them to get up off the floor after they fall or prevent them from falling at all if they are losing balance when standing up.
Another item you may consider installing is a ramp and/or handrails to get in and out of the house, deck, or patio spaces.
It’s also important that you know how to use these products properly to prevent any additional accidents that could be caused from misuse.
If you have any questions about installation methods or safety precautions, talk with a local contractor before moving forward.
Clean Up the Clutter
If it’s been awhile since clutter in the house has been tended to, this is a great place to start. Clutter can be hard on their feet and create some dangerous tripping hazards. After all, nobody wants anyone else in their family falling over boxes or clothes scattered around the floor.
Spend an afternoon cleaning out closets and rearranging furniture so that everything will be easy for them to walk through without having to worry about knocking things over as they move about the house doing other tasks.
Install Non-Slip Flooring
Another option you have to minimize any slipping or falling risks is to install non-slip flooring in areas of the house that aren’t carpeted.
This is especially important if your loved one has a hard time staying balanced on their feet and tends to move around while walking or standing up.
Non-slip tiles are relatively inexpensive at most hardware stores and are a great option.
Falling can be disastrous for elderly individuals. We hope these tips are helpful in minimizing the fall risks in your loved ones home. If you are considering additional assistance for your elderly family member or friend, feel free to contact our Vancouver assisted living team at Magnolia Gardens Senior Care. We would be happy to answer any questions you might have and give you a tour of our facility.