By Shannin Prather
January 2016 | 2016 Winter Newsletter
Regardless of age, or level of physical ability, making changes to your living environment can lower the risk of falls. Keeping your home environment safe and neat helps you stay healthy and safe as well.
By taking precautions and making sure walk areas are clear, and keeping your home tidy, you can avoid common hazards that may cause a fall or mishap, and stay safe and secure.
Here are some helpful tips to avoid trips, slips and falls:
- Wear Secure Footwear: Wear well-fitting shoes with low or no heel, and non-slip soles, opt for slippers with closed toes and closed heels.
- Light up Your Living Space: Use nightlights near your bed, in hallways, stairways, and bathrooms, and any other areas where you frequently visit at night.
- Remove Loose Area Rugs: Loose area rugs can be very hazardous and the safest method to prevent falls is to remove them. If unwilling to remove them, consider using special rug tape that will ensure rugs stays in place. When selecting an area rug, choose those with nonskid bottoms.
- Secure Power and Telephone Cords: Keep cords against walls or taped down to the floor, and out of walk areas.
- Keep Mobility Devices Close: If you rely on a cane, walker, crutches or wheelchair, always keep these devices nearby, and easily accessible.
- Install Grab Bars in Your Bathroom: The bathroom can be a very slippery place! Using a towel bar for support can be a hazardous mistake. A towel bar is not meant to hold a person’s weight; it can easily break and cause a fall. Installing grab bars would be a better solution. Grab bars are designed to withstand a person’s weight and stay secure. The cost of these items may be covered by Medicare or MediCal under the “durable medical equipment” category. Organizations such as Rebuilding Together and Assisted Living Delayed can assist with installation of grab bars. They can also evaluate your home for safety and offer other suggestions for modifications.
- Take Your Time: When changing from a laying down position to sitting, or from sitting to standing, take a moment to maintain your balance and avoid becoming dizzy.
- Be Aware of Your Medication’s Side Effects: Illnesses and some medicines can make you feel dizzy or confused. Medications such as blood pressure pills, heart medicines, diuretics (water pills), muscle relaxants, and sleeping pills can increase your risk of falling. Use caution with movement when on these medications.
- Get Daily Exercise: Even a few minutes of exercise each day can go a long way toward improving balance, coordination and strength.
Speak to your doctor to discuss if any accessibility products (such as grab bars) may benefit you. For more information about installing grab bars and to have a safety evaluation of your home, please call our Sourcewise Information & Awareness Specialists at: (408) 350-3200, option #1.
For more information on fall prevention, please call the Silicon Valley Healthy Aging Partnership at (408) 482-4961 or visit their website: svhap.org.
Regardless of age, or level of physical ability, making changes to your living environment can lower the risk of falls. Keeping your home environment safe and neat helps you stay healthy and safe as well.
By taking precautions and making sure walk areas are clear, and keeping your home tidy, you can avoid common hazards that may cause a fall or mishap, and stay safe and secure.
Here are some helpful tips to avoid trips, slips and falls:
- Wear Secure Footwear: Wear well-fitting shoes with low or no heel, and non-slip soles, opt for slippers with closed toes and closed heels.
- Light up Your Living Space: Use nightlights near your bed, in hallways, stairways, and bathrooms, and any other areas where you frequently visit at night.
- Remove Loose Area Rugs: Loose area rugs can be very hazardous and the safest method to prevent falls is to remove them. If unwilling to remove them, consider using special rug tape that will ensure rugs stays in place. When selecting an area rug, choose those with nonskid bottoms.
- Secure Power and Telephone Cords: Keep cords against walls or taped down to the floor, and out of walk areas.
- Keep Mobility Devices Close: If you rely on a cane, walker, crutches or wheelchair, always keep these devices nearby, and easily accessible.
- Install Grab Bars in Your Bathroom: The bathroom can be a very slippery place! Using a towel bar for support can be a hazardous mistake. A towel bar is not meant to hold a person’s weight; it can easily break and cause a fall. Installing grab bars would be a better solution. Grab bars are designed to withstand a person’s weight and stay secure. The cost of these items may be covered by Medicare or MediCal under the “durable medical equipment” category. Organizations such as Rebuilding Together and Assisted Living Delayed can assist with installation of grab bars. They can also evaluate your home for safety and offer other suggestions for modifications.
- Take Your Time: When changing from a laying down position to sitting, or from sitting to standing, take a moment to maintain your balance and avoid becoming dizzy.
- Be Aware of Your Medication’s Side Effects: Illnesses and some medicines can make you feel dizzy or confused. Medications such as blood pressure pills, heart medicines, diuretics (water pills), muscle relaxants, and sleeping pills can increase your risk of falling. Use caution with movement when on these medications.
- Get Daily Exercise: Even a few minutes of exercise each day can go a long way toward improving balance, coordination and strength.
Speak to your doctor to discuss if any accessibility products (such as grab bars) may benefit you. For more information about installing grab bars and to have a safety evaluation of your home, please call our Sourcewise Information & Awareness Specialists at: (408) 350-3200, option #1.
For more information on fall prevention, please call the Silicon Valley Healthy Aging Partnership at (408) 482-4961 or visit their website: svhap.org.