Fall Prevention Month: Creating a Safe Home Environment for Seniors with Mobility Issues

Fall Prevention Month

September is Fall Prevention Awareness Month, a month dedicated to home and injury safety for older adults. According to HelpGuide.org, “The likelihood of a fall resulting in hospitalization increases with age. More than 95,000 older adults are hospitalized each year as a result of a fall injury. The chances of a fall requiring hospitalization doubles between the ages of 65 and 90.”

We know that for so many reasons, caring for a senior can be a challenging task. And many times, falls can be prevented with a few key actions. They are one of the leading causes of injury and death in older adults, so it’s important to take preventive steps to avoid becoming a statistic. That’s what this article is here to help you do.

Let’s dive in.

Preventing Falls: First, Ensure Good Lighting

As we age, our vision also tends to weaken. Worsening vision is a contributing factor to unexpected trips and falls because it makes it harder to discern things like darkness, shadows, or illusions. Things that can trip any of us up, but can be especially devastating for seniors.

One easy way to help decrease the chance of vision tricks and a senior falling is to ensure adequate lighting throughout the house. During daylight hours, be sure to keep blinds open for more natural lighting, and illuminate (with indoor lamps, touch, or strip lights) any parts of the house where shadows can create issues. This can include hallways, corners, elevation change steps, closets, and bathrooms.

At night, ensure night lights are positioned around the house where the senior may need to walk – illuminating places like the kitchen, bathroom, staircases, and the hallways in between. It’s also important to have bedside lamps that are easily accessible to senior citizens. You want to avoid them having to walk to light switches or to other rooms in the dark. Ensuring adequate lighting is an easy way to help prevent falls.

Install Grab Bars, Ramps and Handrails

Installing grab bars, ramps, and handrails can be a bit more difficult and more expensive than adding adequate lighting, but if stability is a concern, these safety tools are just as important.

Consider adding handrails in places that don’t already have them like sidewalks, driveways, or even within the home (like around showers, toilets, or hallways).

If the home has multiple stories or level changes, stairs can create an issue. If that’s the case, consider replacing or adding ramps that can be used with walkers, wheelchairs, or canes will help decrease the chances of falling.

And finally, just like handrails, grab bars are important to ensure seniors can stand and move safely. Grab bars should be installed in or near toilets, showers, and bathtubs. Even though grab bars are installed it can still be hard for seniors to stand after using the toilet or get out of a bath.

Secure All Rugs

For seniors with mobility issues, rugs can be a constant challenge at worst, or source of stress at best. While they may enjoy the aesthetic or feel of rugs throughout the house, it’s important to make sure they are secured properly so they won’t become a hazard. A curled/lifted corner, wrinkle, or thicker edge can be dangerous.

To reduce the risks, make sure:

All rugs are secured on nonslip rug mats/grippers
To take into consideration the thickness of a rug. Even a little lip on rugs can cause falls for seniors who drag their feet or use a walker, wheelchair, or cane.

When in doubt, swap it out or remove it altogether for a safer walking space.

Non Slips Strips on Stairs

Another great way to prevent falls on stairs is to install nonslip strips on all stairs (even stairs with carpets). These are typically rubber strips that can be stuck on the surface or across the ledge/corner. They allow a person’s foot to grip on the edge of the stairs. Not only do these prevent slips, they also help to guide a person’s foot so they can see better and are less likely to miss or overshoot a step.

Non Slip Shoes and Socks

Another great way to prevent falls (especially in homes with hardwood or tile) is to buy senior nonslip shoes and socks. These can be especially helpful in places like the bathroom or kitchen where water and spills may be hard to see.

Nonslip shoes come in a variety of different styles allowing people to wear them for different occasions. They come in slippers, socks, and shoes so they can be worn at any time anywhere – indoors, outdoors, at events or at home and can accompany walkers and canes to make mobility even safer.

Remove Clutter

Finally, an easy way to ensure there are no unwanted falls is to make sure the house is as clutter-free as possible. Make sure laundry does not pile up and get left on the floor, and that old newspapers, toys, or electrical wires are not anywhere someone could trip on them. Clutter is especially dangerous at night time, so implementing a quick pickup before bed is a great step to add to your routine.

Closing Thoughts: Creating a Safe Home Environment for Seniors with Mobility Issues

Although falls happen whether we want to or not taking these steps we have laid out will significantly improve the safety for seniors with mobility issues in their own homes.

If you’re providing care for a senior loved one with mobility issues, the California Caregiver Resource Centers are here to support you. We are a non-profit network of 11 Centers that support caregivers across the state of California. Every county in the state is covered.

Fall Prevention Month: Creating a Safe Home Environment for Seniors with Mobility Issues