Keep the elderly fall-safe

One of the leading causes of injury and even death among the elderly is fall. It is estimated that one out of three senior citizens suffer falls every year.  Fall related injuries are one of the most common conditions encountered in the emergency rooms as far as senior citizens are concerned.

The question is can this be avoided?

Well, the answer is – largely, YES!

Before we get on to know how to prevent the falls, let us try to understand the factors that lead to these dangerous falls.

• ·         The most common reason for fall is the lack of physical activities. As people grow older, they are more prone to lesser exercise, as well as lesser movement. This results in poor muscle tones and decreased bone mass. Consequently, they are more likely to experience loss of balance and flexibility. 
• ·         A weak sight could add to the woes of the elderly, which might result in falls. They are prone to impaired vision and may not always wear glasses, leading to poor sight.
• ·         After effects of medications is another reason for falls. Most of the elderly would be under some medications, which might include sedatives, anti-depressants and anti-psychotic drugs that lead to higher risk of falling.
• ·         Health conditions like Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s diseases, arthritis and the like could cause weakness in the elderly. This would affect their ability to grip things, balance stuff as well as their overall cognition. Apart from these, surgeries are also known to leave the senior citizens weak and prone to falls.
• ·         Other factors such as hazardous conditions at home such as poor lighting, saggy carpets and lack of general safety features also could lead to falls.

However, the good news is that most of these causes can be avoided. We can make our homes safer and elderly friendly.

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Here’s how:

• ·         Fix handrails or safety bars in the shower and bath
• ·         Install anti-slip tiles in the bathroom
• ·         Use a stool riser seat to make getting on and off the toilet easier
• ·         Install handrail on the stairways. Make sure that it extends beyond the first and last steps
• ·         Keep the stairs and corridors well lit. Motion sensing lights could be a good idea. So is night lamps
• ·         Ensure that the rugs and carpets are not saggy or slippery. Give special attention to the ones on the stairs and steps
• ·         Get rid of clutter. Throw out/stack away any unused/surplus furniture. Make sure the corners of the furniture are not sharp
• ·         Move the furniture to ensure easy walking around the house
• ·         Tuck away the electric cords and ropes so that they don’t trail along the floor
• ·         Encourage the elderly to wear non-slip shoes or slippers
• ·         Arrange the frequently used items in easy-to-reach cabinets
• ·       Give special care to the heaters and make sure there are automatic cut-offs to avoid burns and scalding
• ·         Wipe away any spills and remove broken glass right away

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Apart from these, encourage the elders to remain as physically active as possible. Let them undertake small walks and exercise according to their physical conditions. Also, whenever possible, encourage them to stay away from unnecessary medication and drugs.

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Through these small, but actionable steps, we can make sure that our elders are less prone to falls.