At Maple Heights, we believe that not every fall incident should be considered a regular part of aging. While they may not seem like a big issue, certain fall incidents can be life-threatening when overlooked. As a senior, you don’t need extensive effort or major resources to follow effective fall-prevention measures. By following some simple measures and tips, you can effectively reduce your likelihood of falling. Here, we’re walking you through some of the best practices for fall prevention, many of which even top senior living communities like ours at Maple Heights adhere to. These simple changes can make your daily life easier, as well as safer and more secure.
Wearing The Right Footwear
Your choice of footwear affects how you walk, helps prevent tripping, and interacts with the space around you. If you have had medical check-ups and everything seems alright, maybe it’s time to consider your footwear to address the increased falls. Wearing high heels, floppy slippers, or shoes with slick soles increases your risk of falling, as they may make you slip, stumble, and fall quite easily, which can even be fatal.
To change your footwear preferences, you can wear socks with non-slip features (if you are used to wearing socks indoors) and robust, flat shoes with nonskid soles that fit you well. Changing your footwear may also help you reduce joint pain.
Staying Active
Avoiding physical activity and living an inactive lifestyle are among the most harmful things a senior can do, increasing their risk of falls. Get a health check from a health care provider. If the professional allows, you can do the following set of exercises and physical activity routines to help you maintain, and even enhance, your flexibility, endurance, strength, balance, and coordination.
Strength exercises to do:
- Chair Stands
- Calf Raises
- Side Leg Raises
- Back Leg Raises
- Wall Push-Ups
Balance and coordination exercises to do:
- Heel-to-Toe Walk
- Marching in Place
- One-Leg Balancing
- Weight Shifting
Flexibility and endurance exercises to do:
- Tai Chi
- Walking
- Water Workouts
Remove Tripping Hazards From Home
Seniors often unknowingly hoard possessions they don’t even need. However, they need to understand the reality of the situation and their increased need for a safer and more secure environment that safeguards them from the risk of falling. They might need to work on loose rugs or cluttered spaces, as both can cause them to trip.
Hence, they need to work towards decluttering their home’s floors, stairs, walkways, and other areas that receive enough foot traffic. To keep rugs in place, they can use a non-slip rug pad, apply double-sided carpet tape, add silicone caulk to the back of the rug, or use rug corner grippers. Other than that, storing frequently used items in easily reachable places would also help them avoid tripping over stools.
Maintaining Proper Lighting In The Home
Poor lighting is another factor that may increase seniors’ risk of falls. Even after performing a deep clean and decluttering the home, they may still face the risk of falling due to unresolved uneven lighting. They must prioritize keeping every home space aptly illuminated, taking into account their evolving mobility and healthcare needs.
They should use bright, high-wattage LED bulbs to keep stairs, walkways, and hallways well-lit. For nighttime assistance, they should place a lamp within easy reach of the bed, easily accessible during the night. Keeping flashlights in an easy-to-find place is another significant decision they can make.
Using Assistive Devices As Required
While using assistive devices isn’t compulsory for every senior, they may surely become a necessity for many. However, the use of assistive devices isn’t limited to canes and walkers; it also includes home safety devices such as grab bars and non-slip mats, as well as technological measures like medical alert systems and motion-sensor lights. They can also get a raised toilet seat or one with an armrest on one side.
Consulting an occupational therapist may also benefit them, as they can suggest measures to implement fall prevention strategies more effectively. Last but not least, they must ensure their medicines are reviewed regularly with a doctor or pharmacist and that their vision is checked by an eye doctor at least once a year; this will again help them reduce their chances of falling.
Maple Heights—Experience Graceful Aging With Us
At Maple Heights, we recognize that frequent falls should never be considered a regular part of aging. As you grow older, fall prevention becomes an important topic and doesn’t remain just a secondary consideration that you may think of. Declining mobility and evolving health conditions are the primary reasons that increase the risk of fatal falls among seniors. Knowing that falls are a leading cause of injury among older adults should be enough to make you think about the importance of adjusting your daily routines and making the necessary changes to your living conditions to reduce the risk of falling.
Besides adhering to the suggested medication routine that supports your overall wellness and not just mobility, it’s key to introduce necessary changes in your living environment as well. For that, it’s actually best to move to a senior housing community that already features a tailored living environment with all safety and security features in place to support your safety and security. You can choose our senior apartments at Maple Heights. Besides providing you with a safe and secure environment, we’ll conduct a personalized assessment that forms the basis of the support you receive through exercise programs, environmental modifications, and technological support.
Contact us and learn more about how we can help you experience a wonderful aging experience that never feels structured or rigid.
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