Senior-Friendly Fall Prevention Tips
Where do falls among older adults occur most frequently? According to data compiled from the National Health Interview Survey, most fall injuries among older people occur inside the home.
Daily, independent seniors over the age of 65 are at risk of falling – a staggering one out of three. According to the CDC, most falls are caused by a combination of risk factors. Some factors, like being a pet owner are more difficult to change, while others, like using corded phones, are easily changed. What really matters is the amount and combination of these factors.
We know that falls present a hazard to many of our users. Below, we’ve presented some of the best fall prevention tips we can find. While not all fall prevention tips can be followed, this will hopefully set you on the path to maintaining a safer household.
Conditions that Make You More Likely to Fall
These are the most common risk factors that cause falls in seniors:
- Lower body weakness
- Vitamin D deficiency
- Difficulties with walking and balance
- Use of medications with side effects that include dizziness and drowsiness
- Vision problems
- Foot pain or poor footwear
- Home hazards and dangers such as:
- Broken or uneven steps
- Throw rugs, clutter, or small pets that can be tripped over
- No handrails along stairs or in the bathroom
- No personal emergency response system
Most fall prevention tips address the home hazards mentions above.
What You Can Do to Prevent Falls
How many of these conditions apply to you? The good news is that many falls are preventable by reducing the number of risky conditions. Seniors can take these preventive measures to ensure their safety:
1. Talk to your doctor
- Ask your doctor to evaluate your risk for falling
- Review your medications to see if any of them might cause dizziness or drowsiness
- Have your eyes checked at least once a year
- Ask your doctor about medical alert pendants
- Ask if your doctor has any personalized fall prevention tips to offer
2. Take care of your health
- Improve your balance with strength and balance exercises that make your legs and core stronger. Tai Chi is a great way to start!
- Take vitamin D supplements with calcium
3. Make your home safer
- Keep your floors clear of objects you could trip over
- Keep your home well-lit
- Get a medical alert system
- Senior-proof your home by following the tips in the infographic below
Fall Prevention Tips for Keeping Seniors Independent
The most important fall prevention tips we can offer require proactive health management. Don’t forget to get regular check-ups. Regularly seeing a doctor is essential in fall prevention for seniors. Ask your doctor to assess what you should be doing to reduce your fall risk.
Ever day, make sure to get good nutrition, and remember to take your medications. Incorporate mild exercise into your day. Most importantly, keep a medical alert system by your side. Medical alert systems ensure that you have easy access to help in an emergency. It’s important for independent seniors to be able to age in place, and medical alert systems make it all possible.
Seniors can be independent and stay safe by remembering these golden fall prevention tips. From making sure cords are tucked away to using bright-colored tape on steps, the more of these tips you use, the safer you will be.