According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), one out of every four Americans over 65 years of age fall every year, but many never tell their family or doctor what happened.

The CDC also shared some other interesting senior fall-related statistics:

  • 20% of all falls result in serious injuries like broken bones or head trauma
  • Over 800,000 seniors are hospitalized each year due to injuries sustained in a fall
  • Over 95% of hip fractures in elderly patients come from falling
  • Every 19 seconds, an older person dies from fall-related injuries
  • A senior’s risk of falling doubles after falling the first time
  • Every year, over 3 million elderly adults receive treatment in hospital ERs because of falls

Many seniors have to spend time in a nursing home or hospital as they recuperate from a fall, and some never fully recover. When it comes to the freedom and independence of the senior in your life, these statistics are cause for concern.

Taking a room-by-room approach, let’s identify trip and fall hazards and how to minimize them.

Bathroom

The bathroom is a particularly dangerous place for seniors. Here are a few ways to make it safer:

  • Install grab bars in the bathing area and on the wall near the toilet
  • Remove all throw rugs
  • Put anti-skid pads on the bottom of the shower or tub
  • Get them a shower seat
  • Add a “booster seat” to the toilet so they can get up and down easier

Kitchen

A lot of elderly adults also fall in the kitchen, so make them safer by:

  • Moving the table and chairs to one side of the room
  • Placing rugs or mats with non-skid backings near the stove and sink
  • Making sure all cooking and eating items are within arm’s reach

Steps and Stairs

Keep the stairways in the home safe by:

  • Improving the lighting above them
  • Adding handrails along both sides
  • Placing fluorescent tape strips on the front of each step

Other Rooms:

You can safe-proof other rooms in the home by:

  • Removing or taping down any electrical cords they could trip over
  • Making sure the room is well lit
  • Repairing or discarding wobbly chairs
  • Moving small furniture out of walkways
  • Eliminating throw rugs that “bunch up” when walked on
  • Reducing clutter throughout the home

Other Fall Prevention Safety Tips:

And finally, here are some additional ways to help prevent your senior from tripping and falling:

  • Make sure pet’s don’t lay in walkways
  • Have your loved one’s vision checked. Sometimes a new pair of prescription lenses make a world of difference
  • Have their balance tested by a healthcare professional and see if it’s time for them to use a walker or cane
  • Ask them to stay off ladders and stepstools
  • Buy them shoes with non-skid soles

Our In-Home Caregivers Strive to Keep Seniors Safer

Helping your senior avoid falls at home can be difficult, so when you need a hand, contact Dependable Senior Care. As a fully licensed and insured agency, our carefully screened caregivers will serve as an extended family in your loved one’s home so they can continue aging comfortably in place, right where they want to be. In addition to keeping seniors safer through fall prevention, our well-trained aides can perform other in-home duties like light housekeeping, meals, personal hygiene, medication reminders, transportation, and companionship.

All our family trusted home care services can be individually combined into an affordable package to accommodate any budget! To learn more about Dependable Senior Care or schedule a FREE, in-home assessment for a senior loved one today, please call (800) 500-9192 or visit us at www.dependableseniorcare.com.