Tips for Fall-Proofing Your Senior’s Home

One slight slip can put your senior at risk of serious and devastating injury. With six out of 10 falls happening at home, it’s important that you create a fall-proof environment for your elderly loved one.1 There are a few key strategies you can use to make sure your elderly loved one is safe as they spend time at home. Some strategies include:

Make sure floors are always kept clear

Grandkids’ toys, clothing, shoes, pets’ food bowls, and even the corner of a rug that has turned up over the years can pose a risk for your elderly loved one. To keep them safe at home, make sure that floors are always kept clean and clear of clutter. According to those who work in elder care services, Asheville families should consider removing unnecessary area rugs, and should make sure that food or beverage spills aren’t creating a slick surface.

To make it easier and safer to walk throughout the home, put non-slip strips on floors and steps. Use only non-skid wax on waxed floors within the residence. It doesn’t take much to endure a serious fall, so keeping a focus on the floors is essential to senior health.

Install grab bars in bathrooms

Bathroom surfaces can become slippery very quickly, thus posing a risk to your senior. To make showering or bathing safer and easier, install grab bars by the toilet and near the shower. These allow your elderly loved one to quickly maintain their balance and stay upright as they get clean. If your elderly parent has a difficult time standing for extended periods, consider investing in a shower seat. This way they can bathe safely, without having to worry about maneuvering around in the shower.

Make sure lightbulbs are working properly

Poor lighting is another reason why seniors end up falling at home. When lightbulbs burn out, it becomes harder to navigate and identify potential hazards in the house. Make sure that all lightbulbs are working well, and verify that there are enough lamps throughout the home to keep the property safe. Make sure there is sufficient lighting on stairwells too. 

Homecare professionals explain that these small yet highly important preventative measures can keep seniors safe from enduring falls at home. Even small risks can lead to major injury, so make it a point to inspect your loved one’s home regularly to identify these potential problems and correct them quickly. 

1http://nihseniorhealth.gov/falls/homesafety/01.html