Fallen and I can’t get up…. no joke A few days ago, my mother had a fall in her home. She dislocated both shoulders and broke one, hit her head and had a nose bleed as well. It all happened because she tripped over an extension cord! At 73, with multiple medical issues, she is not very different from many of your parents out there determined to age in place. Take time to go through your parents’ home and identify fall risks. Falls are the number one cause of fatal and non-fatal injuries. Tapping into my background as a geriatric nurse and director of a retirement facility here are a few tips to bring safety to your home or that of your family.
- Avoid extension cords. Hire an electrician to install new outlets if electrical devices must be in certain locations.
- Never run electrical cords under carpets or wedge them in between flammables – sofas, bedding, etc
- Avoid area rugs if possible.
- Make sure bath mats are not slip hazards.
- Add grab bars to bathrooms. Suction cup style or screw in styles can be used.
- Make sure handrails on steps are secure.
- Add lighting to dark areas of entry ways and commonly used pathways. You could add a motion sensing light switch like this one – click here.
- Review meds to be sure dizziness is not a problematic side effect.
- Be sure vision is checked annually.
- Opt for a fall alert system with pendant emergency button.
- Have a keep in touch routine in place to know that your loved one is safe and sound.
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