According to the CDC, Falls are the number one cause of injury for adults 65
and older. Every year, more than 1 in 4 adults within this age group fall, resulting in 3 million admissions to emergency rooms.
Our Lady of Peace home health care professionals help older adults heal from falls. It’s not an easy recovery, but they can help you get there. But first, the team wants to provide some information on how to prevent a fall because for some, it can be life changing. Here are 16 tips for falls prevention:
- Don’t use throw rugs
- Avoid floor clutter, like magazines, boxes, and other items
- Make sure your home has good lighting
- Light your path to the bathroom and kitchen overnight in case you get up
- Quickly clean up slippery surfaces on bathroom and kitchen floors
- Use grab bars in the tub and shower
- Wear proper shoes and not just socks, unless they have a gripping bottom
- Take good care of your eyesight with annual checkups
- Be aware of where your pet is, so you don’t trip over them
- Make sure electrical cords aren’t tripping hazards
- Clear snow and ice from outdoor surfaces in the winter
- Do exercises that improve your balance
- Watch the placement of oxygen cords when moving around
- Keep items you need within reach
- Don’t use a step stool. Call for help instead.
- Wear a lifeline so you can call for help whether conscious or unconscious
More than 95% of hip fractures and head injuries are caused by falling. It’s not easy to recover from these injuries, but our home health care team will walk alongside you with on-going nursing care that includes:
- Immobilizing the hip joint with bed rest
- Post-surgical skilled nursing care
- Rehabilitation with physical therapy and occupational therapy
- Regular blood pressure checks
- Medication management to prevent pain, blood clots and infection
- Management of pre-fall medical conditions
- Help with toileting, bathing, and dressing
- Alert patients to potential side effects and monitor side effects of new medications.
OLP Home Healthcare is a non-profit, Medicare-Certified service that accepts all insurances.
If you or someone you love needs skilled nursing care after a fall, contact OLP Home Healthcare. If you want to improve your balance, our friends at Juniper offer several in-person and online classes. Juniper is a program of Trellis (formerly known as the Metropolitan Area Agency on Aging).