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Falling can be one of the most catastrophic events to happen in an elderly person’s life and that’s why preventing falls is so important.  It’s been estimated that about 1/3 of seniors living at home fall each year, and this is only reported falls.  Over 20% of falls result in serious head injuries or fractures and falling accounts for 70% of accidental deaths among seniors age 75 and older.

Almost half of those who fall cannot get up without help even though they may not be injured and many develop a fear of falling that ends up limiting their daily activities. Preventing falls in the home isn’t hard but does take some planning and effort.

There are a number of factors that play a roll in why seniors fall, but we are going to focus on steps you can take to reduce the risk of falling in your home:

1. Remove things that might cause you to trip
   • Throw rugs or mats
   • Clutter – newspapers, books, mail, clothing
   • Pets and pet bowls
   • Phone cords
   • Electric cord
2. Organize furniture so there is plenty of room to move freely
   • remove items from stairs and doorways or halls
3. Don’t walk on wet floors and clean up spills right away.
4. Wear shoes or non-skid socks.
5. Use non-slip mats in the shower or tub and rubber-backed rugs in the bathroom
6. Make sure there is plenty of light. Use nightlights and keep a flash light by the bed in case the power goes out.
7. Use grab bars and handrails. 
   • When carrying something, use one hand to hold the handrail and the other to carry the item. Don’t try to carry too much at once.
8. Make sure transition areas are level and easy to see (for example, kitchen to living room, bedroom to hallway).

Aspen Senior Care wants seniors to be safe and feel secure in their homes. While some falls are the result of medical and physical conditions, preventing falls in the home is possible with some care and planning.  Check back soon to see simple strengthening exercises that seniors can do in their homes to increase lower body strength that will help with fall prevention.

For seniors and the elderly who are fall risks due to poor health and weakness, Aspen Senior Care provides one-on-one support in the home with trained and qualified caregivers. We assist seniors with meals, bathroom assistance, light housekeeping, transportation, dementia care and much more.

Call us at 801-224-5910 for information on how we can help.