Having a senior at home is not a matter of joke. At the twilight state of their life, they will need more support from people around them compared to how they have needed you in the past. Maybe your father has always been very independent and strong personality. However, with age, you might see an unexpected transformation in them. With growing older, they lose their fluidity as well as balance that can increase the risks of falling down and getting injured very easily.
According to studies, there are around 2 million reports of injuries due to falls every year, reported at all the ERs in different hospitals in the USA. Amongst them, 33% are aged around 65+. And in many cases, these falls have resulted in hip injuries, fractures, and traumatic brain injuries. So, if you are dealing with an elderly loved one at home or you have hired caregiver at home for your aging parents, it is necessary that you minimize the risks of falling down for them. How? Take a look at the following measures that can help as preventive ones.
Reduce Clutters and Create Open Area:
The floor should never be cluttered when there is an elderly loved one at home. Make sure you are not leaving paper, magazine, clothing, cords, and wires on the floor that might cause accidental fall. If you have a child at home too, you or the caregiver should pay extra care so that the toys don’t remain scattered around, increasing the clutter. Create more open areas for walking. Move the coffee tables, bar stools, floor lamps and plants on the side of the wall. In fact, experienced and trusted caregivers will help you do this.
Keep Objects within the Reach:
Make sure everything your loved ones might need should be within their reach. The specs, walking sticks, clothing, newspaper, things that they use every day should be easily accessible for them. In case they have immobility issues, officials from home care agency will take care of that too. They will be trusted with the responsibility of being around them and helping them with their day-to-day needs.
Install Grab Bars, Handrails and Smart Lights:
The bathroom is a very risky area for elderly loved ones. Because of wet floor or the slippery tiles, accidents can happen at any time. To minimize the risk, install grab bars around the space. You can install them even in rooms too, especially where your loved one sits. Holding the bar, they will get support while standing up. For stairs, make sure that handrails are installed on both sides. Even if on one side, there is a wall, keep the handrail so that they can grab it for support and balance. As dark rooms can increase the risk of falling, you can install smart lights too so that you can control the lights the moment they enter any room or through apps.
Non-Slip Mats and Proper Footwear:
While you are planning to keep your elderly loved ones safe from falling, use non-slip mats on the floor, especially for bathrooms. Give them proper footwear that will be of the right size and comfortable so that the elderly person won’t have to be at the risk of an accident at any moment. Keep these shoes accessible in every room of the house. Inform the caregiver too so that whenever it is needed, they can help the elderly person find the shoes immediately. Right slippers for home as well as walking sneakers to go outside should be there for them. However, in this respect, make sure that extra shoes are not creating clutter on the floor.
So, now as you know how you or your caregiver can minimize the risks of falling down for your elderly loved ones, what are you waiting for? Implement these tips and hire a reliable service provider of home care Massachusetts.
