Top Tips for Preventing Senior Falls in the Home

Interim HealthCare, providers of professional senior home care in New York, offers these strategies  to aid in preventing senior falls:

• Perform a careful assessment for fall risks in each room of the home. Take a walker or wheelchair and navigate your way throughout the home to points of interest for your senior loved one: to the TV, lamps, refrigerator, bed, bathroom, etc. Is there sufficient room to maneuver to these destinations? Are the areas free from any obstacles? Pay close attention to the floor for extension cords, throw rugs, and any other objects on the floor that could cause a tripping hazard.


• Check lighting in each room. Insufficient lighting, especially between the bedroom and the bathroom, where nighttime trips are most common, is a major risk factor in senior falls. Install nightlights or other sources of light throughout areas the senior may visit after dark, and be sure to use the maximum recommended wattage bulbs in all lighting sources. 


• Take extra measures in bathrooms and stairways. If the senior uses stairs, either inside or outside of the home, it’s crucial to be sure that sturdy handrails are in place along both sides of the stairs, and that there’s sufficient lighting at both the top and bottom of the stairways. Consider also painting colors on the stairs (or use brightly colored peel-and-stick strips) to improve visibility. In the bathroom, place grab bars, handrails, and non-skid materials in and around the bathtub, toilet, and sink, and ensure that the floor is always dry and clean.