Senior Care in Frisco, TX – Make Changes to Your Senior Parent’s Home and Lifestyle to Reduce the Risk of a Devastating Fall
Every year seniors suffer from falls resulting in broken bones requiring surgical procedures to correct injuries. Some injuries sustained during falls lead to serious complications. Falls are the leading preventable cause for seniors losing their ability to live independently. To reduce the risk of falls, it’s important to understand the common causes.
Here are some of the common causes of falls in the elderly:
Medication Side Effects
Some medications cause drowsiness and dizziness. Medications prescribed to treat conditions such as high blood pressure; depression, muscles spasms, and diabetes contain the risk of unwanted side effects. Seniors taking medications with possible side effects need careful monitoring from a physician in order to adjust medications, and avoid unwanted side effects while still controlling their condition.
Poor Balance and Coordination
Illnesses such as dementia can affect coordination, increasing the risk of falling among seniors. Other risks affecting balance and coordination include bone and joint problems associated with arthritis, muscle weakness, and vitamin deficiencies. Poor balance and coordination may be a result of inactivity or lack of exercise, in addition to an improper diet. If your parent doesn’t have a great sense of balance, consider getting him or her a walker or cane for assistance.
Lack of Safety Devices
Safety devices such as hand rails and stair rails are needed at every residence where seniors live. Bathrooms should be equipped with railings in bath tubs and showers along with grab bars around toilet areas. In addition to railings, raised toilet seats are needed for seniors having difficulty sitting. Lack of safety devices can cause serious falls possibly leading to permanent disability, and in some cases death. To encourage your senior to be safer in their home, you can make a fun day out of taking them with you for choosing bathroom improvements or walk-assisting tools.
Clutter and Other Household Dangers
Household safety for seniors include making sure objects that could cause a fall are removed, area rugs either are removed or are fastened down with strong tape, and proper lighting is installed throughout the senior’s residence. Seniors with poor vision need access to lighting they can easily turn on and off, because many seniors will fall while trying to turn on lights.
Preventing senior falls includes: knowing medication and possible side effects, exercising to improve muscle strength and balance, installing safety devices throughout the senior’s residence, installing proper lighting, and removing any objects such as furniture or appliances posing potential falling hazards. If your senior needs daily help to make her life safer and more comfortable, you should hire home care for the elderly. A trained caregiver can assist your loved one with tasks that are known for causing falls, such as getting in and out of the bathtub, or navigating the stairs to do laundry. Consider hiring senior care when making changes to improve our loved one’s safety.