Did you know 1 in 3 over 65’s who live at home suffer from falls every year. This results in hundreds of admissions to hospitals each year. What can be done to reduce this worrying statistic and keep the elderly safe at home? We present three tips to help prevent the elderly from suffering:
1. Eliminate hazards in the home
Preventing falls in the home can be done by making sure objects are not underfoot. Help elderly loved ones by organising their homes and keeping it clean for them. They may trip on rugs or uneven floors, so review the hazards and change anything that could be dangerous. Install handrails for the stairs, in the bathroom for getting out the bath or shower and make sure all rooms are well light at all times. Make sure there are non-slip mats in the bath and that shoes are worn inside and outside the house, not slippers, socks, or bare feet.
2. Review medications & eyesight
If you or an elderly loved one has had a fall, it may be worth seeing a GP to review their medication. Some medications can have side effects such as dizziness or drowsiness which may contribute to a fall.
Poor vision can also be a factor to consider. Be sure that you or your loved one have regular eye tests to ensure they are wearing the right prescription lenses or if they need to start wearing glasses.
3. Keep an active lifestyle
This may seem like an odd piece of advice for preventing falls in elderly people, but stay with us! Exercise can be very beneficial as it will help strengthen muscles. Muscle weakness and poor balance can cause people to suffer falls. Gentle exercises such as Tai Chi would be perfect to build strength and improve balance; reducing the chances of a fall.
For peace of mind
Obviously preventing falls isn’t always possible, but having a system in place to care for you or a loved one is.
In the event of a fall in the home our personal alarms can be used to contact someone straight away who will call the emergency services and loved ones for you in. Our alarms ensure help is on hand 24/7 so there’s no need to worry for those who live at home alone.
We offer a range of alarm plans to suit everyone’s needs, as well as optional extras such as key safes in the event that emergency services need to gain access to you or a loved ones home.
To find out more go to our Careline website or call us on 0808 304 4183 to discuss our monthly or yearly plan.
