Falls are the leading cause of deaths related to injury for people age 65 and older. We’re all susceptible to falls, but older adults in particular need to take special care. Falls may also cause other severe injuries, such as fractures of the hip, this is because as we age, mobility, strength, and sensory faculties can change. Senior fall prevention should be a priority for both seniors and their family caregivers.
Lessen Risks Around the Home
To reduce the risk of a fall, reduce the number of hazards in your home. Take a look around your parent’s home, eliminate fall risks, and make changes to reduce them.
Some common modifications include front-door showers, putting carpet on floors, widening door frames, reducing door curb height and installing various fall protection systems.
There’s no better place to start applying fall prevention tips than around the house. Here are a few ideas to get you started:
Clear pathways of electrical cords and other clutter.
Put regularly used items within easy reach
Put night lights in bathrooms and on stairs.
Secure floor coverings with non-slip pads.
Install hand rails, grab bars, and tub mats in the bathroom.
Senior Fall Prevention in New Jersey, (NJ)
Seniors can take a number of precautions to prevent falls.
Fall safety requires more than just minimizing external risks. Monitoring one’s health and practicing good self-care will help lessen physical vulnerabilities that can increase the chance of fall.
Help your parent to do the following:
Make regular appointments to check hearing and vision and wear comfortable hearing aids and eyeglasses with an adequate prescription.
Get your eyes checked by an optometrist at least once a year
Properly take medications.
Exercise safely and moderately—mobilizing joints increase leg strength, improve balance and increase flexibility, lessening the risk of falls.
Eat a healthy, balanced diet and drink plenty of water, especially in the summer when seniors are at risk for heat-related illness.
Consider buying an alarm you can activate in the event of a fall
Ask for Help
Whether you witness the fall or are the victim, do not assume that just because no side effects are apparent that there are none. If any of the following things seem to follow as a result of a senior fall, call a doctor immediately:
lingering pain
dizziness or headaches
nausea and drowsiness
weakness or loss of consciousness
any visually apparent injury
vision problems.
Support your mom or dad in getting all the help they need. Help can come in many different forms:
Assistance care devices, such as a cane or walker
Sturdy, orthopedic shoes
A medical alert device
Amorycare of New Jersey provides support care services to seniors to help prevent falls and maximize safety supervision. Our service area covers these towns in Union County NJ, Berkeley Heights, Summit, Linden, Scotch Plains, Westfield, Murray Hill, Plainfield, Mountainside, Garwood, Clark, New Providence, Elizabeth, Roselle Park, Winfield, Kenilworth, Vauxhall, Cranford, Springfield, Union and Fanwood NJ.
