How to Determine if Your Loved One is at Risk of Falling

Home Care in Jupiter Island FL

Falling is a huge problem for elderly loved ones. Not only is it a scary situation to be in, your loved one could break a hip, hurt her wrist, or damage herself in a number of other ways. It's best to avoid that if you can, and the first step there is to assess your loved one's risk of falling.
She Has Balance and Gait Issues If your loved one has difficulty balancing while she's standing, that can be an indication that she might be at a greater risk of falling. You might also want to pay attention to how your loved one walks. If she's walking with a halting step or if she has a limp, these issues can make avoiding a fall more difficult.
Her Lifestyle Is More Sedentary When a loved one isn't very active, she's likely not used to using the muscles that would help her to avoid a fall. Once way that you can work around this is to help her develop an exercise program with her doctor's help that can build up those core muscles. Exercise can also help your loved one to be less tired so that she doesn't wear herself out with regular daily activities.
She Has Chronic Illnesses Some chronic health problems can make falling a much bigger possibility for your elderly loved one. Arthritis can make it difficult for her to grab hand rails, for example, or your loved one might have heart disease that makes it difficult for him to move as quickly as he would like to in order to avoid falling. Your loved one's doctor may have tips that can help to make her illnesses less of a contributing factor to her falling risk.
She Has Problems Seeing Properly If your loved one can't see well, it's difficult for her to avoid tripping hazards or find the right place to put her foot next. One way to cope with this problem is to increase the lighting in the house, particularly in areas that are more of a danger spot. You should also make sure that your loved one is getting her eyes checked regularly. Talk to your loved one's home care providers and doctors about ways to help your loved one avoid falling.
If you or an aging loved one are considering home care in Jupiter Island, FL, contact the caring staff at BrightStar Care of Jupiter. Call today (561) 741-1200.