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Worried about the senior in your life
falling? This is a serious issue and one
that can lead to a compromised standard of living.
There are several things that can be done
to prevent falls. These are the most
obvious and easiest changes that can be made to make your senior safer in their
own home.
First of all, increase the light in the
home. If there are burnt out lightbulbs,
change them and see if the wattage can be increased. Using energy efficient lightbulbs won’t
increase the cost of the hydro but they will improve the lighting in the
home. If necessary, install extra lights
around the home; make sure hallways and stairwells are well lit.
As we age, our eyesight, especially our
night vision decreases. We also start to
experience problems with depth perception so it’s important that there is a
clear demarcation between furniture and flooring. If the furniture is the same colour as the
flooring, the senior will have a difficult time judging where to step
safely. Add a slip cover to the sofa so
that there will be a definite difference in colour between floor and furniture.
Next, remove any loose rugs or
carpets. If a carpet is becoming
threadbare or it is not fitting properly, it will be cheaper to remove the
carpet and/or replace it than to have your senior fall and break a hip.
If your senior needs to use a walker, make
sure that they cannot fall down a flight of stairs while they’re walking
around. Install gates or barriers to
prevent them from tipping over and falling down the stairs.
Are there any long hallways in the house or
apartment? You can install a handrail to
help the senior walk the length of the hall.
Move furniture that is difficult to get around. Remove small tables that are low to the
ground or plants that are on the floor.
Make sure that any tables or chairs are stable so that your senior isn’t
likely to fall if they sit on the chairs or grab the table to help them stand.
Showers and baths are areas where it is
vitally important to install grab bars.
The floors of the showers should be non-slip and the baths should have
non-slip coatings (the mats don’t always adhere properly and the senior can
still slip trying to stand on them).
Bathroom mats should have rubber backings on them so that they don’t
slide if someone steps on them.
There are inserts that can be purchased to
make toilet seats higher. These inserts
do not damage the toilet nor do they require a plumber to install. They are available from medical supply stores
and some pharmacies. Grab bars should be
located near the toilet to assist with sitting and standing.
Make sure that your senior does not use
step-stools or step-ladders to get to those hard to reach places. Again, a medical supply store can assist in
finding a “grabber” to help them get that item off the top shelf.
Each adaptation is small but can make a big
difference to the life of not only the senior but also the primary
caregiver. The senior can have their
independence a bit longer and the caregiver isn’t worried that their loved one
is going to trip on the loose rug in the living room. The whole idea is to maintain a level of
comfort in the home so that the senior can remain there as long as possible.
(Alzheimer Society Toronto)
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