Of course, anyone can fall. But as we get older, our risk of falling and its negative impacts become greater. The good news is that falls can be prevented by making adjustments to your home, lifestyle, and diet.
The first step to avoiding falls is to understand what causes them. For instance, reduced vision or hearing, decreased muscle and bone strength, poor balance, or unsafe conditions in and around your home can greatly increase your chance of falling. Staying safe is a matter of being proactive—your wellbeing and independence could be at stake.
The Statistics:
- Falls are the leading cause of injury among older Canadians.
- Falls are the cause of 95% of all hip-fractures.
- 20 to 30% of seniors experience one or more falls every year.
- 85% of senior’s injury-related hospitalizations are caused by falls.
- 50% of falls causing hospitalization happen at home.
Protect yourself
Did you know that one out of four older adults will fall this year, but fewer than half of them will talk with their doctors about it? According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), falls are the number one cause of injuries in adults over 65, resulting in cuts, hip fractures, and more serious head injuries.
Even in cases where there’s no serious injury, a fall can be frightening enough that people start avoiding activities for fear they’ll fall again. This isn’t unreasonable. The CDC reports that if you fall once, your chances of falling again doubles.
Whether it’s slippery floors, rickety stairs, or electrical cords, some of the most common causes of falls are in the home, where you might have a false sense of security. That’s why fall prevention starts with creating a safe living space.
It doesn’t have to involve a complete house remodel. You can make your home safe from falls with just a few basic changes. Elder care experts offer the following advice for preventing falls at home.
Easy fall prevention tips
The most common cause of falls are in the home, where you may have a false sense of security. Falls prevention starts with creating a safe living space. Elder care experts advise implementing these steps at home for falls prevention.
- Clean up clutter. The easiest way to be thrown off balance is to trip over clutter. Remove anything covering the floors, especially near hallways and staircases.
- Install grab bars and handrails. If you suffer from limited mobility, these safety devices can be critical for safely managing stairs, the toilet, and the bathtub without injuring yourself.
- Wear shoes. Socks may be comfortable, but they present a slipping risk. Preventing falls at home can be as simple as wearing shoes. You can also purchase nonslip socks that have grips on the soles of the feet if shoes are too uncomfortable.
- Avoid baggy clothing. Baggy clothes can sometimes increase your chances of falling. Clothing that doesn’t bunch up or drag on the ground eliminates risk of tripping hazards.
- Light it right. Inadequate lighting is another major fall hazard. Make sure to install brighter light bulbs where needed, particularly in more problematic areas such as stairways and narrow hallways. You can also add night-lights in the bathroom and bedroom for better guidance at night.
- Make it nonslip. Showers, bathtubs, kitchen floors, bathroom floors, and porches can all become dangerous when wet. The prevent falls on wet surfaces, add nonslip mats to your home.
- Join a preventive exercise program. As a public health initiative, several community centers, health systems, and gyms offer exercise programs for older adults aimed at fall prevention. These exercise regimens typically focus on strengthening stabilizer muscles and improving balance. A physiotherapist can also recommend an exercise programs to keep you safe and healthy!
Practice fall prevention surrey
For older adults, fall prevention in surrey means injury prevention. Take the necessary steps to keep your home safe. The surrey downs health site is another informative outlet to learn about falls prevention. If you have fallen and are recovering from injury, our renowned physiotherapy clinics are a great place to foster your recovery. Whether you’re looking for a chiropractor, massage therapist, physiotherapist, occupational therapist, clinical counsellor, and more, Synergy Rehab has your back for every step of your recovery.
