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When it comes to your loved ones, you might not always know where to start.
Here are a few simple changes you can make to your home or to that of a loved ones home to help reduce falls.
1. REDUCE CLUTTER
This one is FREE!! Seriously, reduce your clutter, your junk, your piles of clothes and things that don't have a place. Remove throw rugs or items on the ground that could become a hazard. Remove clutter in tight spaces such as hallways. Anything in the home that could be a hazard or a risk for your loved one to get caught up on—MOVE IT! If your loved one is already having difficulty with mobility then there is no reason to have any extra items that might pose a risk to their safety.
This concept may also be difficult with a loved one who is particularly partial to their "things". This may sound harsh but opening up the conversation about removing or donating some of their items may be a great way to get into deeper conversations of living wills and power of attorney (POA).
Ultimately the goal is to prevent falling over unnecessary items, so no that doesn't mean you need to throw out everything. It wouldn't hurt though to begin those kind of deeper conversations that might ultimately get the ball rolling on many of the more sentimental items that will likely be a challenge to convince your loved one to part with.
2. LIGHT IT UP
Adding night lights to hallways can be a simple and cheap way to ensure your family member isn’t getting up to go to the bathroom in the dark. Night lights are a reasonable addition to any home that reduces the risk for falls exponentially as many falls happen at night.
Or maybe even increasing the wattage of light bulbs to ensure your loved one can see clearly is essential even during the day time. As we age our balance is affected and so is our vision, brightening up the house is a simple fix to decrease falls.
3. FREQUENTLY USED ITEMS WITHIN REACH
Many times we keep things in our home the same way as they have always been without thinking about what might be simpler or safer. We might pick up plates every day but always from the top shelf when they could just as easily go to the bottom shelf for easier access. We may also put the milk on the bottom of the refrigerator because that's where it has always been placed. Rethinking the norm or the usual and focusing on safety and convenience is a simple way to reduce falls in the house.
This is also another excellent opportunity for de-cluttering. Not using it? Get rid of it! This will leave space for frequently used items to be placed at eye level. Don’t let your loved one get out the step stool!! Help them organize frequently used items to lower shelves or the countertop for easier use. Eliminate the need for step stools or climbing onto countertops. Step stools are a major fall risk, especially for a population that is already at risk for falls.
4. SHOWER CHAIR/NON SLIP MAT
If your loved one is at risk for falls, whether it be from age or disability, then they are even more at risk in the bathroom. So you’re not as strong as you used to be and now the floor is wet? GAME OVER. Adding a shower chair to reduce time standing and lower risk for falls can be a cheap hack. This shower chair from amazon is $50 and offers back support and arm rests.
Another simple hack to reducing falls in the bathroom is the addition of a non skid bath mat. This $10 item is an essential for any balance impaired individual. Honestly even if you wouldn't describe yourself as balance impaired it still isn't a bad idea to add to reduce your risk for a fall.
5. GRAB BARS
Since the bathroom is one of the riskier places for balance impaired loved ones, equip it as best as you can. If a grab bar is needed to help your loved one get on and off of the toilet or in and out of the tub then have them professionally installed. They’re one of the more pricier options but lets be honest, having your loved one fall would not only be a much pricier option it would also be AWFUL. If they need a grab bar, it’s money well spent.
The information you need…straight UP!
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