5 Ways To Help A Senior Parent Avoid Falls At Home

Falls are a leading cause of injury for seniors and can lead to serious health issues that can require long months of rehab. More than a million seniors are hospitalized for serious falls every year. If your senior parent is living alone, there are things that you can do to help them avoid falling at home, even if you can’t be there around the clock. Bringing in personal care at home is a great firs step to improving your senior parent’s safety at home:

Some recommended things that you can do to help your senior parent avoid falls at home are:

Remove Hazards Around the House

Getting rid of potential tripping hazards is a great way to make your senior mom or dad’s home safer for them. Things like loose rugs, cluttered floors, and electrical cords can easily cause your parent to trip and fall.

Go through each room and look for anything that might be in the way of safe movement. Keep walkways clear and ensure that items your mom or dad uses frequently are within easy reach. You can also use cord keepers to mount loose cords on walls so your mom or dad doesn’t get their feet tangled in cords when they are walking.

Improve Lighting

Poor lighting can make it hard for your senior parent to see obstacles in their path or judge the depth of stairs. Make sure all rooms, hallways, and stairways are well-lit.

Put nightlights in key areas like the bedroom, bathroom, and hallways, so your parent can see clearly when moving around at night. You can also switch to brighter, energy-efficient light bulbs to improve overall visibility.

Encourage Regular Exercise

Exercise may be difficult for your mom or dad, but it doesn’t have to be intense exercise to be helpful. Regular exercise helps improve balance, strength, and coordination, which are essential for safe movement.

Encourage your parent to engage in activities like light stretching, or balance exercises. Some seniors also benefit from chair exercises or gentle yoga, which can be done safely without putting too much strain on the body.

Install Grab Bars and Handrails

Installing grab bars and handrails in key areas of the home can provide extra support for your parent, especially in places like the bathroom or stairways.

Grab bars should be placed near the toilet, in the shower, and along the walls where your parent may need help getting up or steadying themselves. Handrails on both sides of the stairs make it easier for seniors to go up and down safely. You can also install handrails in the hallway if your mom or dad needs extra support because the hallway is dark.

Get Personal Care at Home

More seniors fall in the bathroom than any other place in the home. Showering, brushing their teeth, and getting dressed are all very dangerous activities for seniors to do alone. If your mom or dad has personal care at home, they will have extra support to help them avoid falls while showering or attending to their personal hygiene. Personal care at home is a great way to lower the risk of your mom or dad falling and getting seriously hurt at home.

If you or an aging loved one is considering personal care at home in Turlock, CA, please contact the caring staff at Provident Care Home Care today at (209) 578-1210.