Fall Prevention Awareness Week is just around the corner. Get ready with these fall safety tips from BrightStar Care ( http://www.brightstarcare.com/blog/fall-prevention-for-seniors/ )

1. Fall Prevention Tips For Seniors

2. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC),
one out of every five falls results in a serious injury, such as a bone
fracture or head injury.[1]

3. We’re all susceptible to falls, but older adults in particular need to
take special care. This is because as we age, mobility, strength,
and sensory faculties can change.

4. Help your parent or grandparent stay safe at home with these fall
prevention tips. You’ll be just in time for Fall Prevention
Awareness Week, which coincides with the first week of fall
(September 22-28).

5. Lessen Risks Around the Home
There’s no better place to start applying fall prevention tips than
around the house. Reports show that more than 75% of
accident-related injuries occur in the home. Take a look around
your parent’s home, identify fall risks, and make changes to
reduce them.

6. • Clear pathways of electrical cords, furniture, and other
clutter.
• Put regularly used items within easy reach, i.e. at waist or
counter level.
• 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.[2]
Here are a few ideas to get you started:
For even more ideas to fall-proof your home, read our blog post
for National Safety Month.

7. Make Self-Care a Priority
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.

8. • Make regular appointments to check hearing and vision and
wear comfortable hearing aids and eyeglasses with an
adequate prescription.
• Properly take medications (for tips, read our Medication
Management blog post).
• Exercise safely and moderately—mobilizing joints increases
overall body function, lessening the risk of falls.[3]
• Eat a healthy, balanced diet and drink plenty of water,
especially in the summer when seniors are at risk for heat-
related illness.
Help your parent to do the following:

9. Ask for Help
For some older adults, accepting help and their changing needs
can present an emotional challenge. Support your parent in
getting all the help he or she needs by encouraging him or her to
see how it will actually enable greater freedom.
Help can come in many different forms:
• Assistive devices, such as a cane or walker[4]
• Sturdy, orthopedic shoes
• A medical alert device
• An in-home caregiver

10. [1] http://dailynurse.com/strategies-reduce-patient-falls/
[2] http://www.stopfalls.org/grantees_info/files/HomeModificatio
n.PDF
[3] http://dailynurse.com/strategies-reduce-patient-falls/
[4] http://www.stopfalls.org/grantees_info/files/AssistiveDevices.p
df
Sources

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