Neighborly Home Care Provides 7 Tips on How Senior Citizens can Minimize Fall Risks in their Homes

The home can prove to be a dangerous environment for senior citizens, especially if they are living alone.  The majority of accidents that occur take place in the home. This is particularly true for seniors and the elderly. The biggest of these threats to seniors involves falling.

Many seniors at risk of falling will often decide they need home care support with the help of a caregiver that will also assist with other activities of daily living, such as medication reminders, light housekeeping, meal preparation, companionship/respite care, and laundry. Studies by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) have found that, “nearly 1 million people over age 65 are treated in hospital rooms for injuries associated with the products they live with and use every day.”

Seniors have the option of contacting a caregiver as an alternative to moving into a nursing home in order to help with the hazards of everyday living. Neighborly Home Care is a locally owned and operating elderly care service with over 25 years of collective experience.

Neighborly Home Care is dedicated to helping seniors throughout Ardmore, Delaware County, Bryn Mawr, and Bala Cynwyd who require aid. Adults and seniors who do not believe that they currently need elderly care can use the following tips to minimize risk and ensure that their homes are safe:

1. Reduce Clutter

Clutter poses a danger to anyone who comes in contact with it. Clean up any clutter or laundry that may be lying on the floors to ensure no accidental falls. Seniors who cannot perform house cleaning duties should enlist in the help of a caregiver. 

2. Install Grab Bars in bathrooms and showers 

Grab bars and bench seating designed to facilitate transitioning into the tub can be installed in bathrooms to.limit the risk of falling in the bathroom. It is also prudent to practice drying the bathroom floor after every shower or bath to avoid slipping on a tile floor. 

3. Eliminate Stairs 

If at all possible, it is a good idea to move into a home that does not have stairs because steep stairs can be exhausting and potentially dangerous should an elderly citizen ever misstep.

If moving is not a possibility, other steps that can be used to ensure a safer environment would be to live exclusively (or as much as possible) on one floor of the home. If stairs must be used regularly, ensure the tread surfaces are clean, have secure and slip resistance coverings and check that all handrails are secure and in place.

4. Purchase Slip-Resistant Rugs 

Whenever possible, all carpeting and rugs not permanently installed should be removed.  If throw rugs and runners must be used, they should be secured with two sided adhesive tape and should never be located in hazardous areas such as the top of stairs and bathroom.

5. Turn down Water Heater Temperatures 

Turn down the temperature on your water heater to approximately 120 degrees Fahrenheit to avoid unwanted burns. 

6. Install Smoke detectors 

Every household should have more than one smoke detector (at least one on every floor) that is checked regularly. In addition to smoke detectors, it is also a good idea to purchase flame-resistant nightwear that is made from materials that are 100% nylon, polyester, or wool. 

7. Check the Safety of all Cords 

Finally, it is important to make sure that there are no cords stretched across walkways that can be tripped over. Place extension cords, telephone cords, electrical cords, or any other obtrusive cords behind walls and furniture where they cannot be tripped over. … Elderly and middle-aged adults can take many steps to ensure that their homes are safe by following several tips to minimize potential hazards.

However, if a senior is incapable of ensuring their own safety, it is important that they contact an elderly care professional to help them. If you are a resident of Ardmore, Delaware County, Bryn Mawr, or Bala Cynwyd, contact Neighborly Home Care today to learn about how the service of a caregiver can benefit you or your loved ones. 

Contact 

26 Rittenhouse Place Ardmore, PA 19003

Phone: 610.658.5822 

Fax: 610.744.4148 

Email: info@neighborlyhomecare.com