Falling at home is one of the most common ways that seniors get hurt. It’s not possible to prevent all falls, but there are some precautions that you can take to make your mom or dad’s home safer for them, along with personal care at home services. If you do whatever you can to minimize the risks in your mom or dad’s home, you can minimize the risk that they will fall and get hurt.
The best way to accomplish this is to understand what causes seniors to fall into their homes. Seniors often feel a little unsteady on their feet because of the side effects of medications or because they have pain and stiffness in their joints. If your mom or dad has a medical condition like dementia, Parkinson’s, or arthritis, that can limit their mobility even more.
So, it’s important to make sure that your mom or dad has extra support everywhere in the home where being unsteady on their feet is likely to cause a fall. Personal care at home professionals can also assist aging seniors with routine tasks that become more difficult over time.
These are the most common ways that seniors fall at home, so adding extra support in these areas is a great place to start:
Bathrooms are among the highest-risk areas for falls. Wet floors make surfaces slippery, and bathrooms are often small, which limits mobility. Getting in and out of the tub or shower or standing up from the toilet can also be challenging. These actions require balance and strength, which may decrease with age.
Tips to make the bathroom safer:
Stairs are a major fall risk for seniors. If your senior parent has weak legs or balance issues, it’s best to make sure they have a bedroom on the first floor if possible. Going up or down stairs requires coordination, and a single misstep can lead to a serious fall. If lighting is poor, it makes it harder to see each step, increasing the danger. Personal care at home providers can ensure the stairs are free from clutter and obstacles.
Tips for safer stairs:
Many falls happen in the bedroom, often when seniors are getting out of bed. Seniors struggle the most with dizziness or balance issues when they’re tired, so when your mom or dad is going to bed, they have a higher risk of falling. Getting out of bed in the middle of the night for a drink or to use the bathroom can also cause them to fall.
Tips to reduce falls in the bedroom:
The kitchen can be dangerous for seniors due to spills and reaching for items. Wet or greasy floors can become slippery. Trying to reach high cabinets or bending down for lower ones can also cause balance issues. The kitchen’s hard floors mean any falls could be serious. Personal care at home providers can help with cleanup, organization, meal prep, and more.
Tips to make the kitchen safer:
Living rooms often have rugs, cords, or clutter that can be tripping hazards. Moving between furniture, especially if it’s close together, can be challenging. Soft surfaces, like thick rugs, might make balance harder. For seniors using walkers or canes, clutter-free spaces are essential.
Tips for fall-proofing the living room:
If you or an aging loved one are considering Personal Care at Home in Tempe, AZ, please contact the caring staff at Legacy Home Care today. Call (480) 777-0070
Legacy Home Care is a top provider of home care services in Mesa, Tempe, Scottsdale, Sun Lakes, Chandler, Gilbert, Apache Junction, Queen Creek, Phoenix, and surrounding areas.