The Danger of a Fall
Falls are one of the primary causes of hospital admissions for older people, and a fall can be catastrophic for a senior. Why? Because when a fall results in an injury, it can decrease a person’s mobility and require a lengthy recovery time. Even if the fall is not serious and nothing is broken, it can damage the person’s confidence and cause fear of further falling. Falls often result in older adults having to move into a long-term care facility, so preventing falls can make a major difference in someone’s ability to remain independent. Physical changes and medical conditions can increase the likelihood of falls, as can the medications used to treat certain conditions. However, there are steps you can take to reduce your risk of falling.
Take Care of Your Health
Talk to your doctor about your risk of falling, and discuss fall prevention strategies. Ask your doctor to review your medications, checking for interactions and side effects that could make you more likely to fall. Talk about prior falls, too, as well as any health conditions that could increase your risk. If you feel dizzy or suffer from shortness of breath, joint pain, or numbness in your feet and legs, ask your healthcare provider to evaluate you for fall risk, assessing your muscle strength, balance, and gait.
Address Hazards in Your Home
Look around your home for potential hazards, looking for ways to make it safer. Keep walkways clear, secure rugs, and repair loose floorboards or carpeting quickly, to prevent tripping. Keep your home well-lit, especially walkways and stairs. Put a lamp within easy reach of your bed to help you see if you need to get up in the night, and keep flashlights easily accessible in case of a power outage. Install non-slip treads on bare-wood steps, and consider assistive devices, like a raised toilet seat, grab bars, and a sturdy plastic seat for the shower.
Stay Active
When you engage in regular physical activity, you can reduce your fall risk by improving your strength, balance, coordination, and flexibility. In fact, there is research to indicate that exercising can reduce the risk of falling by up to 50 percent. Even something as simple as walking can improve strength and balance, and exercises like water workouts, yoga, and tai chi can go even further to increase coordination and flexibility. Exercise is not just good for you physically; it also helps promote mental health and confidence.
Set Yourself Up for Success
Be careful to wear shoes that will help prevent falls. Avoid high-heels, floppy sandals, or shoes with slick soles, and don’t walk in your stocking feet. Instead, choose sturdy, flat shoes that fit properly and have non-skid soles. If you need a cane or walker to help you stay steady, don’t resist using one. Additionally, be open to the idea of enlisting the help of a homecare provider, who can provide assistance with household tasks, as well as helping you to determine the best ways to stay safe.
Get Help Making Your Home Safer
A quality home caregiver can help you identify hazards in your home, to make it safer, especially when you partner with an agency that has a reputation for high standards and excellence in caregiving. At
BrightStar Care of North Houston/The Woodlands, we know that aging comes with challenges. That’s why we work hard to deliver the right care for our clients, and support for their families. Because we believe that caring is more than just a job, our nurses, therapists, CNAs, and caregivers offer the most professional compassionate care available. In the comforting, familiar surroundings of home, we offer a full range of care services to meet your loved one’s needs and help you when you need it most.
Contact us or call 281-367-7827 to learn more about our services and let us know what we can do for you.
