Helping Prevent Your Senior Parent from Falling

Elderly Care Glenview IL
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One of the big concerns for elders is falling, and with good reason. According to the National Council on Aging, one in three older Americans falls every year, and falls are the leading cause of both fatal and nonfatal injuries for people aged 65 and older. So naturally, preventing falls should be a concern for you and the person providing elderly care for your loved one. 

One of the best things anyone can do is stay active and exercise regularly. Walking on a regular basis helps, as does regimens that improve balance and encourage a variable gait. Other tips for reducing or preventing falls include: 

Have vision checked regularly and update eyeglass prescriptions accordingly. 

Use assistive devices as needed. This might mean rubber-soled shoes to prevent slipping and sliding; or it might mean using a brace, cane, or walker to move from place to place if real unsteady. 

Watch medications. Some prescriptions can cause dizziness or sleepiness. If your loved one experiences these side effects, talk to their doctor about the possibility of a different prescription that won’t cause them to feel like that. 

Avoid or monitor alcohol use. As people age, their bodies don’t metabolize alcohol as effectively as when they were younger. This could cause a person to stumble, trip or fall more easily. 

Make the home safer and easier to navigate in. This means securing throw rugs, runners and carpet remnants to the floor so they aren’t tripping hazards; using non-slip strips in the shower and bathtub; removing furniture, electrical cords, clutter, pet bowls and toys, or other tripping hazards from walking paths, and making sure that rooms are well-lit for walking purposes. You can also install handrails near steps and grab bars in the bathroom or anywhere else they might be needed. And encourage your loved one to wear shoes inside, as well as outside the house. If wearing slippers in the house, they should have non-skid soles.  

Move items where they’re easier to use, especially those things used on a regular basis. That way your loved one won’t have to bend or use a stepstool or ladder. If space is an issue, they should use a grabber. 

Following these guidelines will help ensure your loved one will have less accidents, ideally none, and they can navigate their home with greater ease and more confidence, not worrying so much about falling. 

Source:  https://www.ncoa.org/healthy-aging/falls-prevention/preventing-falls-tips-for-older-adults-and-caregivers/6-steps-to-protect-your-older-loved-one-from-a-fall 
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If you or an aging loved one are considering Elderly Care Services Glenview IL, contact the caring staff at Gentle Home Services. Call today (800) 860-9823.

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