How to prevent falls among the elderly at home

Did you know that almost four out of 10 elderly people in Singapore will experience a fall within a year? And out of those injured, one out of four will require long-term care. A fall may be common, but elderly patients could experience physical, mental, and emotional problems if they end up seriously hurt. If you are living with senior citizens, here are some tips on how to prevent falls at home to ensure their safety.

Add anti-slip products to your bathrooms.

While your entire home should be built to accommodate senior citizens if you live with them, one particular area you should especially focus on is the bathroom.

Anti-slip products like grab bars and bathmats are especially important for the bathroom to avoid slipping and to ensure the utmost ease in moving around the area. Make sure you install grab bars beside the toilet bowl and in the shower area. A shower chair can also reduce the risk of falling.

Install bed rails.

The elderly may also experience falls in the bedroom while they are sleeping or when they have trouble getting out of bed. Bed rails can be a big help in this department. Just make sure you choose one with the features that you need. There are portable ones, for example, as well as length-adjustable ones.

De-clutter your home.

You might not realise this, but even the most basic types of clutter at home can prove to be a cause for falls among the elderly. Ideally, you should ensure that your floors are always free of any kinds of items.

If you have kids in the household, make sure they don’t leave their toys lying around. Stacks of books, newspapers, and magazines should be kept to the sides. Keep a lookout for loose carpets and wires lying around, as well, and make sure they are always out of the way.

Consider indoor motion sensor lights.

Although motion sensor lights are more commonly used outdoors, such as in the garage or in the frontyard or backyard; they can prove to be very useful indoors if you live with elderly people.

Set them up at the dimmer areas of your house, so they won’t have trouble seeing things around them. Of course, you should also make sure that you let them know that you have set up these lights so that they don’t get surprised when they suddenly light up as they walk by.

Provide the necessary mobility products.

Depending on their mobility level, elderly people will need different types of mobility products. Some common mobility products are canes, walkers, and wheelchairs. Check out keepmovingcare.com, a mobility aid site that will help you figure out what they need as this would be a necessity in helping them move around the house and outdoors.

For extra safety, also use corner protectors on sharp edges of your furniture at home to minimise injuries. You may also use furniture pads on items that move or slide easily.

You can find more information on mobility products and fall prevention among the elderly here.

Got any other tips to add to our list? Share them with us!