Older adults are more susceptible to falls, and those falls often lead to head injuries or broken bones. Around 25% of adults aged 65 or older fall each year, and around three million of those adults end up in the emergency room or urgent care. Having home care assistance providers available could help to reduce these statistics.
Of those injuries that require medical attention, around 10% of them involve a hip fracture, which is a debilitating injury that often requires surgery and physical and occupational therapy to prevent additional falls and hospitalizations.
The last thing you want is for your mom to fall and injure herself. What can you do to heighten home safety and lower her fall risk?
Install Grab Bars and a Non-Slip Bath Mat
The bathroom needs to have a non-slip bath mat to avoid a slip and fall while your mom is showering. Conditioner and shampoo can make an acrylic, tile, or fiberglass floor slick.
She also needs grab bars to hold for support when stepping in and out of the shower. Grab bars are also important behind and to the side of a toilet.
Improve Lighting and Remove Items That Can Cause a Trip or Fall
Every area of your mom’s home needs to be well-illuminated. LED light fixtures are brighter than CFL or incandescent ones. Battery-powered puck lights should be placed strategically to light up the stairs and hallways.
Aim for puck lights that turn on automatically when the sun sets or when they sense motion. That helps your mom avoid having to find the light to turn it on.
Go through your mom’s home and remove hazards. Decorative rugs, pet beds, wires, and loose or torn carpeting can all lead to a fall. If your mom has slippery wood or tile floors, she should have slipper socks with traction or a pair of slippers for walking from one room to the next.
Make Sure Smoke/Fire and Carbon Monoxide Detectors Work
Your mom needs smoke/fire and carbon monoxide detectors in her home. Test them to make sure they work. She needs to have them in her main living areas, landings at the top of stairs, bedrooms, and garage.
If there are rooms without a detector, install one. Keep a fire extinguisher in her kitchen, garage, and area where the heating system is located. Check that you have the right type of extinguisher.
- Class A – Wood, paper, cloth, and other ordinary combustibles
- Class B – Grease, oil, solvents, and other flammable liquids
- Class C – Motors, wires, and other live electrical equipment
- Class D – Aluminum and other combustible metals
- Class K – Vegetable and animal fats/oils
Should a fire occur, your mom needs to be ready to get out of her home quickly. When she’s rushed, she’s more likely to trip and fall. A fire extinguisher and early warning are incredibly important in helping her get out safely.
Hire Home Care Assistance Services
Your mom shouldn’t be alone all day if her health affects her mobility or balance. Arrange home care assistance services and have caregivers available to support your mom with her daily care needs.
With home care assistance, your mom has someone available to cook her meals, do the laundry, and accompany her on walks. Call our home care assistance agency to learn more.
Sources: https://www.cdc.gov/injury/features/older-adult-falls/index.html#