How To Prevent Older Adult In Home Falls

Fall is a Four-Letter Word

Whether you are sharing your home with older parents or are an older adult yourself in your own home, preventing falls may be a concern.

And with good reason. Every 11 seconds, an older adult is treated in an emergency room after a fall.  Aging can compromise vision, strength and balance. But there are some things you can do to make falls in your home less likely:

Clear out the clutter.

Remove toys, pet supplies, electrical cords and other objects from the floor. Throw rugs can be a hazard as well, so it’s a good idea to either get rid of the rugs or secure them to the floor with tape so they don’t slip around.

Don’t forget the pet.

Keeping a pet in a secure area can reduce the risk of someone tripping on the animal.

Widen the aisles.

Rearrange furniture to provide wider paths and make it easier to walk around the rooms.

Steps for the stairs.

Put secure railings on both sides of all stairs.

Shower power.

Install grab bars inside and outside bathtubs and showers, and next to the toilet. A hand-held shower head and shower chair would also make bathing easier and safer.

Bright the way.

Increase lighting inside and outside the home, which can help older adults with decreased vision. Also, ensure there is enough lighting available if they get up in the middle of the night.

Sight safety.

Speaking of vision, it’s especially important for older adults to have their eyes checked each year and keep eyeglass prescriptions up to date. Note too that tint-changing lenses can create visibility issues when the wearer goes from bright sun into a darker home.

Small talk.

Smart plug-ins and voice-activated devices such as Amazon’s Echo or Google Home can make it amazingly easy to turn lights on and off.

Contact us for all of your insurance needs! 

Buffalo Grove and Lincolnshire residents, at R Hobbs Insurance Agency, we can work with you to make sure you’ve got the coverage you need, while at the same time using all possible credits and discounts to make that coverage affordable. Just give us a call at (847) 680-0888 or send us a note at [email protected]. We want to help you meet your goals, and make sure what’s important to you is protected!

Content Source: Kemper