Keeping Your Elderly Loved Ones Safe – How to avoid falls

Falling over can often be seen as ‘part and parcel’ of moving into one’s twilight years and the statistics do back up that claim, with 1 in 3 adults over the age of 65 having at least one fall each year. It is, in fact, the primary cause of injury to the elderly.

Whilst a fall can just be a stumble that injures pride and provides a shock to the system, it can also be much more serious. The good news is that many falls can be avoided and there are measures that can be put into place to reduce the chance of serious injury to your elderly relative.

Keeping Fit

It may be an obvious place to start, as exercise has beneficial effects to anyone of any age, but with the elderly it can have a two-fold effect. 1 – Regular exercise will make the body more robust to the rigours of the day and 2 – If a fall does occur, increased muscle tone and upper body strength can help prevent injury.
What’s more, the exercises we are talking about can be performed in the comfort of the home and include:

Wall Press ups – Performed by standing at arm’s length to the wall and placing your palms out, as if the wall is the floor and doing up to 8 repetitions.

Side-stepping – Simply performed by stepping side to side for a few minutes at a time, using the back of a chair to balance if necessary

Standing from Sitting – As simple as it sounds, standing from a sitting position whilst using mainly the legs and torso.

All of these low-impact exercises can increase your loved one’s core strength and protect them from injury and only have to performed a couple of times a day to have the desired effect.Reducing Trip Hazards

Particular areas in the home can attract clutter and it doesn’t take much to trip anyone, regardless of age. Removal of potential trip hazards goes a long way to reducing the risk and can include loose or uneven carpets, wires and even pets.In wet areas, such as the kitchen or bathroom, you can reduce the risk of slipping by fitting ‘grab bars’ and laying down anti-slip rubber mats.
Lighting

Another factor that can lead to falls, is bad lighting. By ensuring that light switches are at the most convenient place when entering a room and in turn making sure that all rooms are adequately lit, the risk of a fall can be hugely reduced.

At Castle HomeCare we believe that everyone deserves independence and by taking the necessary steps to make their home safer, this becomes that much more possible.

If you would like any further information on our homecare services, please give us a call on 01 296 5304 or visit our website www.castlehomecare.ie.