The majority of falls occur within the home. This may be because generally, most people spend the majority of their time in the home so it’s more likely for them to fall there. If your loved one wants to continue to live in her home, you might consider having a 24-hour home care team stay with your loved one to help her navigate her home safely.
Fall risks can also increase in the home because your loved one is comfortable in her home and doesn’t look as closely at her environment as she would in a strange place. For example, she might get so used to there being a pile of shoes at the door that she walks around them without thinking until one day, a shoe is out further than normal, and she trips on it.
Cleaning Up Three Everyday Trip Hazards in Common Areas of the House
If your loved one has fallen and you are afraid of her falling again, it’s time to take an appraisal of her home and see where you can proactively reduce trip hazards, making it a safer place for her to live.
Kitchen
Many falls occurring in the kitchen are related to reaching for items out of risk whether by standing on tiptoe or by trying to use an object like a chair or step stool to reach a desired object.
Move commonly used items to within reach so that your loved one doesn’t have to stretch herself and possibly put herself off balance to get what she wants.
Bathrooms
In the bathroom, bath rugs are often used to help bare feet stay warm when getting out of the shower, but after years of use, the edges often begin to turn up creating possible tripping hazards or they become uneven with wear, leading to unsure footing.
Check bathroom rugs often for wear and tear, and remember to check the undersides as well to ensure their non-slip backing is still up to the job.
Doorways and Hallways
These areas become a mecca for shoes, umbrellas, and winter wear. All of these can easily become a tripping hazard as they rest on the floor. These areas often don’t have enough lighting to see well after dark or when coming inside from a bright day.
Increase lighting in these areas so that all items on the floor are easily visible. Create safe places to store items that need to remain in this area.
If Falling Continues to Occur
Sometimes, despite all of your preventative steps, your loved one may still struggle with falling frequently. It can be due to physical impairment, a cognitive impairment, or an inability to make some areas of the home more safely accessible for her.
A 24-hour home care team will always have a staff member in the house with your loved one so she can get the assistance she needs to use the stairs, take care of household chores, or even take a bath safely. A 24-hour home care provider is there to assist in whatever way is best for your loved one, and should the worst happen, and she still falls at some point, having a 24-hour home care provider there at all times means she’ll get the help she needs immediately so that she can recover more quickly.
If you or an aging loved one are considering 24-Hour Home Care Services in Lauderhill FL, please contact the caring staff at Star Multi Care today. Call 954-962-0926
Star Multi Care is a Trusted Home Care Agency in Florida including Palm Beach, Miami Dade, and Broward County.
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