Preventing Senior Falls, the First Line of Defense

When trying to reduce the risk of a senior fall, all of the most expensive equipment in the world will not do any good, if you have not started at the front line and insured that the shoes of the senior are well made and designed to reduce the risk of a fall. The shoes, as well as a walker or cane, make up the first line of defense in preventing a fall. Without them, the risk of a fall is greatly increased, especially when away from the home.

Understanding and Evaluating the Abilities of a Senior

When you love someone, it is sometimes very easy to overlook their flaws and only see the good things. However, as we grow older, there are a number of risks that can crop up and overlooking them is a disservice to the loved one. This article primarily focuses on creating a safer stair environment, but first taking stock of the condition of the stairs and then the abilities of the senior. In practice, though, these principals can and should be applied to virtually all aspects of senior life.

Increasing Bathroom Safety and Preventing Senior Falls

Preventing senior falls is something that is very important and the bathroom is one area of the home that poses a number of risks to the elderly. It is very important to address these risks and to help decrease the likelihood of a senior fall in the bathroom. There are several factors that should be considered when evaluating the safety of a bathroom and the person who is using it.

Living With Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is a disease that is very common among the elderly and especially among post-menopause women. One of the key characteristics of osteoporosis is that it results in loss of bone density, resulting in bones that are very brittle and prone to fracture. Even a small fall can be very serious, as it will often result in a fracture. Calcium and Vitamin D are two essential tools in combating osteoporosis, but it is also important to prevent falls from occurring.

Preventing Senior Falls and Creating a Safe Enviroment

Senior falls can have incredibly serious ramifications, both in regards to the physical health of the senior, but also their mental health. Due to certain disease, falls become more likely among those over 65 and seniors usually have a much more difficult time from recovering from injuries, which is what makes it so important to prevent senior falls.

The Caregivers Role in Preventing Senior Falls

Seniors are at an increased risk for falls and have a much harder time recovering from these types of accidents. As a caregiver, it is your responsibility to help prevent accidents wherever possible.

One of the first steps in preventing accidents involves evaluating the living area of the senior to spot areas that present a risk. It is also important to observe the senior and watch how they interact with objects in their living area, so you can spot further risks.

The Importance of Preventing Senior Falls

Falls happen to people of all ages, but among the elderly it is much more difficult to recover from the incidents. A senior fall is something that can have an incredibly negative impact on the life of a senior. As a result of a fall, it is not uncommon for the senior to have to relinquish independence and their overall health is put in jeopardy, so it is essential to take measures to prevent these types of accidents.

Staircase Safety for Seniors

Staircase safety is incredibly important for people of all ages, as a fall on the stairs can be incredibly serious. However, of all age groups, those over the age of 65 are most at risk for a serious injury on the staircase. For this reason, making the stairs safer and easier to use for seniors is incredibly important. There are a number of factors that should be considered when evaluating the safety of a staircase, but they can be broken down into evaluating the condition of the staircase and the abilities of the senior.

Common Staircase Lifting Aids

The stairs are quite dangerous areas for seniors, with many serious accidents occurring on them everyday. One of the ways that the stairs are made safer is by using a staircase lifting aid. Stair lifts are the most common type of lifting aid, but elevators are also an option. Those who use wheelchairs will use a device similar to a stair lift, but that is called an inclined platform lift.

By using one of the above lifting aids, it is usually possible to allow for full access to a home, without having to rely on a paid nurse or avoid the part of the home with the stairs.

Adressing Elderly Staircase Safety

The staircase can not only prove difficult to use for many seniors, but it can also present some very serious safety risks. Each year, falls account for a leading number of fatalities among seniors, with many also being seriously injured. It is often much more difficult for a senior to recover from a serious injury, with many having to enter some type of assisted living situation after an injury, so it is of the utmost importance to prevent senior falls.

A big part of senior fall prevention relies upon making the home accessible and reducing risks. In regards to the stairs, this requires a staircase that is in good repair and well lit, but there are many other concerns…