Falls are the leading cause of injuries among the elderly, and these usually lead to cuts, scrapes, fractures, and worse, severe injuries to the brain and head. Whether the cause is clutter, the dark, or slippery surfaces, you could fortify your home to be as fall-resistant as possible. To help you out, start with these basics:
- Get Rid of All Clutter – This is by far the easiest thing you could do to prevent falling incidents. Remove clutter including unused décor or furniture, and stacks of old magazines or newspapers, particularly from staircases and hallways.
- Install Handrails and Grab Bars – These are very important and useful on stairs and hallways, as well as near the toilet and bathtub. However, refrain from installing these yourself if you’re not 100% confident that you could do the job correctly since these safety devices would only work if installed properly, regardless if you’re installing it in the hallway of the bathroom, advises a grab bar installation professional in Dallas.
- Eliminate or Repair Tripping Hazards – Inspect each hallway and room in your house thoroughly and look for items likes slippery or loose rugs or carpets and broken floorboards. You then need to replace, remove, or repair those items.
- Install Ample Lighting – Opt for brighter lights, especially in hallways and stairways. Consider getting nightlights in bedrooms and bathrooms to help you see more clearly at nighttime.
- Don’t Wear Very Loose Clothing – Go for properly hemmed and slightly fitting clothes that won’t drag on the ground or bunch up while you move.
- Consider Wearing Footwear – Go for footwear with slip-resistant soles, and if you want to wear socks without footwear around the house, go for socks with anti-slip features.
- Make Slipper Surfaces Slip-Resistant – Install non-slip mats on kitchens, porches, and bathroom floors, particularly in bathtubs and showers, outside and inside.
- Take Your Time When Moving – When standing up or sitting down, pause for several seconds upon changing positions especially if you’ve been in that exact position for a significant amount of time. This also applies when using the stairs.
Put simply, fall prevention beings with creating a safer and better living space. As you could see from the tips above, you don’t need to entirely makeover your house and spend a huge chunk of change. These basic changes would help ensure that you could live independently in your own home for as long as you could.