Falls are extremely dangerous for seniors, as they can lead to long-term health problems. Various health issues, such as vision changes, dementia, and coordination problems, are among the main factors why your loved one may fall. It may seem that falls are rare accidents, but they are more common in older adults than you realize. And because numerous falls happen at home or near it, you can prevent most of them.
In today’s post, we review research from the Nassau County Department of Health and then explain how our home care providers reduce your loved ones’ fall risk. We also provide you with an extensive home safety checklist for fall prevention so you know how to make the environment more suitable for aging in place.
Read on or call (516) 708-0900 to speak directly with a home care provider near you.
Highlights: Senior Slip-And-Fall Risks
If your mom or dad are aging in place alone, they’re living every day at serious risk of a slip-and-fall injury.
Research by the Nassau County Department of Health finds that:
- Falls are the leading cause of injury, death, hospitalization, and emergency department visits among adults 65 and older in New York State
- 88% of all injury hospitalizations were due to falls in the older adult population of Nassau County, followed by car accidents at a mere 5%!
- Every day, 215 older New Yorkers are seen in Emergency Departments due to falls
- Every year, approximately one-third of adults over 65 experience a fall, along with one-half of adults over 80 years of age
- Among seniors who fall, half will fall again within the year
- Approximately 10% of falls among older adults result in serious injuries, such as a hip fracture or head injury
- Falls account for $1.5 billion in annual hospitalization charges and $123.5 million in annual outpatient emergency department charges in New York
Fortunately, 100% of falls are preventable, and scheduling the services of our home care providers is one of the most powerful anti-fall interventions out there. Also, by using the fall prevention home safety checklist, you can significantly reduce the potential danger.
Read on to learn how our home care providers are keeping New York residents on their feet as they age in place, or call (516) 708-0900 to speak directly with a care coordinator near you.
Contact our team to learn about our home safety services!
Use Our Extensive Fall Prevention for the Elderly Checklist
Are you sure that the house where your loved one lives is safe for them? With the help of this home fall prevention checklist for older adults, you will be able to easily determine whether a house is appropriate for your aging relatives.
Bedroom
- Make sure there is enough light, and an older person can easily reach the switches
- Place a lamp on the bedside table or another type of nightlight
- Make sure that your relative has a flashlight right next to their bed in case of a sudden power outage
- Remove any obstacles that can be in a person’s way and make them trip
- Prevent falls by removing unsecured rugs from the floor
Kitchen
- Make sure that all the items and equipment that a person has to use often can be easily reached
- If a senior person needs to occasionally use a step-stool in the kitchen, select an option with a handle on top
- Get rid of any broken step-stools or wobbly chairs
- Make sure to remove any stains or slips from the floor the moment they happen
- Keep heavier items in the kitchen in lower drawers or cabinets
- Avoid waxing floors
Bathroom
- Make the bathroom floor less slippery by using rugs and securing them to the floor with double-sided tape for carpets
- Place an anti-slippery bath mat in a shower or a bathtub
- Always keep the bathroom floor dry
- Consider installing a toilet seat with handles or installing a higher toilet with rails on the wall within a person’s reach
- Install grab bars or railing for the bath or shower so that a person can get in and out more safely
- Make sure that there is a nightlight available in the bathroom
- Always keep the floor clean from soap or other slippery products
- Have a removable and adjustable showerhead
Stairs
- Fix any broken steps the moment the problem occurs and make sure they are even
- Install handrails of the appropriate height on both sides
- If you have carpet on the stairs, always check that it is fully secured
- Replace any worn-out areas of the carpet on the stairs
- Remove any rugs at the top of the stairs, as they can be dangerous
- Get rid of rugs at the bottom of the stairs
- Install good lighting above the stairs
- Make sure that switches for the lighting are available at the top and bottom of the stairs
- Remove any obstacles from the stairs and around them
- If you have a single step in the house, mark it so that it’s visible
Outside
- If there are any steps, install handrails
- Make sure that pavement is even on the territory
- Remove any roots, stones, sticks, pieces of paving, and other potential obstacles
- Install bright lighting on the paths
- Remove any slippery spills from the pavement as soon as they happen
4 Ways Home Care Providers Reduce the Risks of a Slip-And-Fall Injury of Your Loved Ones
In addition to creating a fall prevention checklist for older adults, our team of caregivers can help your senior relative with their everyday tasks. This includes help with personal care, companionship services, Alzheimer’s and dementia care in Nassau or other parts of New York City, and more.
Our Galaxy Home Care team has years of experience assisting the elderly that have different limitations and health problems. Here are the main ways we can provide support for your family.
Full assistance with activities of daily living
When left unsupported, seniors with mobility restrictions face higher risks of slip-and-fall injury. In fact, ADL limitations are positively correlated with fall risk — the more limitations your loved ones have, the higher their chance of experiencing a fall. But our home care providers can help. Not only do we provide full assistance with ADLs, so you can leave the most injury-prone activities up to us, but we also help incorporate lifestyle changes that improve mobility and reduce restrictions over time.
Home safety services
As part of our home safety service plan, our home care providers can help declutter the home, improve lighting, maintain entranceways and exits, remove common slip hazards, and install anti-slip aids, such as grab bars and grip mats in the bathrooms. By receiving our elderly home safety services in New York City, you can be sure that your loved one is in the best environment for them.
Optimize medication management
A large number of falls occur due to adverse reactions between medications, which can cause blurred vision, confusion, and/or loss of balance. With our home care providers there to help, your loved one never has to worry about mismanaged medication, and we’ll always ensure your healthcare provider’s instructions and the recommended dosage is followed to a tee.
Build your loved one’s fall resistance
To make your loved one less prone to falls and less likely to experience an injury if they do take a tumble, our home care providers will: cook healthy meals, promote regular exercise, implement healthy sleep schedules, and schedule regular visits to the optometrist and/or physical therapist as needed.
Fall-Proof Mom And Dad With Home Care Providers In New York
Taking care of an older relative begins with creating a home environment for them that will minimize the risk of accidents and injuries. Using the elderly fall prevention checklist is only one of the steps, but it’s a crucial one. At Galaxy Home Care, we specialize in home safety and caregiving services that will significantly improve the quality of life for your relatives.
In addition to caregiving for seniors, our company also offers Alzheimer’s and dementia care in New York City and other locations. If your loved one has been diagnosed with this condition, they are particularly prone to falls, so having a caregiver may be a necessity.
Get in touch with our experts to receive more information!