Improve Your Safety at Home with These Fall Prevention Tips

Falling is prevalent among the elderly and children. Falls might cause severe cuts, fractures and head injuries. If none of these happen, they could be shy away from physical activity for fear of falling. 

Falling is the second leading cause of injury death after road accidents. This is a scary statistic. A fall in the kitchen or bathroom could mean the end of life. More than 30 million falls are severe enough to require medical attention each year. In fact, one out of five falls lead to serious injury like a fracture. Falls are the most common cause for traumatic brain injuries. This only emphasizes the need for fall prevention in the home. 

There is a host of things that could cause falls in the home. Medication and ill health are chief among them. Another main cause is poor balance and lower body weakness. Vitamin D deficiency is also a factor as it causes weakness in the bones. 

Structural problems like uneven surfaces or disproportionate stairs can trip anyone up very quickly. Some often ignored issues like loose tiles and carpeting are major hazards. Wet floors, poor lighting, and trailing electrical cables will also lower the safety standard of the house. 

Most incidents of falling are caused by a combination of factors. The aim here is to reduce the amount of risk in the home to leave it at negligible to nil. Assessment of risk should be done first to determine the most problematic areas in the house. One should determine which area has the most fall risks. One can begin with something as small as picking up their clothes and toys off the floor or just keeping the floor clear of wet spots. 

Bathroom Safety

• Grab bars

These are sturdy bars installed around the bathtub and toilet. They offer support when getting up and out of the tub. One can also hold on to the bar when stepping out of the shower. These also offer convenient hold. This comes in handy in preventing a slide from elevating into a fall. They can also be installed elsewhere in the house as the occupants deem fit.

• Mats

There are specially designed rags with rubber backing. These do not slide on the floor surface when stepped on. Alternatively, one can use non-slip mats. These are made of a material that clings to the floor. 

These can be placed in the bathrooms, kitchen and whatever other fall risky area.

Kitchen Safety

• Convenient storage

The kitchen should be designed ergonomically. This means that all the spices and stirring implements should e kept as close to the stove as possible. The chopping board and knife should be close to each other while the coffee cups and machines stay on one corner. This ensures one does not have to move around too much while in the kitchen.

If one has to step on something to reach a top shelf, they should ensure to use a sturdy stepladder or stool. If a chair is used, it should have armrests to hold on to when stepping up.

Cabinet doors should stay closed when not in use. They are major fall hazards in the kitchen as they are below the eye line. 

• Spills

A grease or liquid spill when stepped on can be fatal. One could fall and hit their head or break their hip. Falling in the kitchen is more dangerous because on the way down, one might reach out and hold on to a hot pot of porridge of soup. Instead of serving soup to dinner guests with effortless grace, one will find themselves wrapped in gauze and contained in a cast. 

To avoid such freak accidents, spills should be wiped up as soon as they happen.  

Stair Safety

Many risks come with stairs. If one can, they should opt to live in a one level house. If not, they should find a way to decrease the frequency with which these demographics move between levels. A staircase, while beautiful, is dangerous to the elderly and children. 

The staircase must have railing. If it is not against a wall, the railing should be installed on both sides. Railing should be sturdy and slip proof. The steps should also be carpeted to avoid slipping. Marble may be beautiful but it is very dangerous on stairs. Wood is the safest flooring option for stairs. Open backed stairs should be avoided in homes with toddlers. 

If possible, one should have smaller stairs installed in the home. Smaller here is in respect to length. These are easier for children and elderly to navigate. If one misses a step, they can easily regain stance and continue without falling. The stairs should also be proportional. This means that they should be of the same length. If they are not, one could easily miscalculate their steps and get badly hurt. 

An illuminated staircase is very beautiful. It gives the home a feel of elegance. It is also very functional. One can easily navigate the stairs at night without pausing to check where one step ends and another begins. 

Slip retardant adhesive strips are pieces of treads taped on stairs for traction. They keep one from slipping off. They are easy to apply.  

Bedroom Safety

• Nightlight

This is a very important aspect of fall prevention. A nightlight is bright enough to illuminate a room but dull as not to disrupt sleep. This comes in handy for people who wake up a lot in the middle of the night for bathroom trips or to get drinking water. The light will enable one to find their slippers as well as pick out fall hazards on the floor. 

If a nightlight is too distracting, one should opt for a reachable bed switch. With this, one can illuminate the room while still in bed. 

• Furniture arrangement

Beds, bedside tables and other pieces of furniture should be arranged to allow the maximum possible space for walking. In case of an emergency, one should be able to get from the bed to the door without running into furniture. The exit path should be clear of debris.

Exterior of the House

• Electrical carpet

This special carpet melts ice as it rests on the surface. It prevents ice from hardening on the stair or ramp. A wet or slippery surface is very risky and can lead to serious injury.

• Textured paint

In addition to giving the exterior a pop of color, this gives one traction as they step down. However, this requires a lot of maintenance. After some years, the paint has to be scrapped off completely and redone. To get the most though, one should cover every inch of the wood with a form of acrylic latex to keep moisture out. One should research on tips for this before doing because a botched slip-resistant paint job will flak and chip within no time.

• Maintenance

If the stairs and porch are made of wood, they will need to be checked for possible signs of rot. Rotting wood could give out under weight. This should therefore be done regularly.

If other materials like tile are used for the porch and exterior stairs, due care should be taken. 

Non-slip mats could also be used on these surfaces in case of rain or snow. 

Rest of the House

• Cords and cables

These loose electrical or data wires run around the house. They usually just lie on the floor looking small and harmless. However, tripping on one of these can cause a bad fall. One would not even see it coming since they are so small. They should be covered. They could also be pinned on the walls or ceiling. 

• Loose floor covering

It is easy to ignore a loose tile or carpet. One would procrastinate because it does not seem important enough. Reality would dawn when that loose carpet causes a bad fall.

• Clear out

All pathways should be kept clear of clutter. Clothes and toys should not be left lying around pausing a danger to the family. Everything should be kept in a safe place that is not the floor. 

Children should be trained to put their toys away. They should also be trained not to run around the house lest they slip on something.

Dressing

Loose clothing is prone to being caught in hooks leading to falls. While one may want to feel comfortable and free while in the home, they should not wear clothes that are too baggy or long. One can easily trip over long clothes.

Shoes are important in the house. They prevent slipping. If this is not an option one can consider, socks are the next best thing. Not regular socks. Regular socks will slide on the floor. There are special socks with grips on the soles. These provide stability on slippery floors. 

Health Problems Maybe?

One could eliminate the fall hazards but still have injuries from falling. What then could be the problem? 

 One must have their eyes checked. If the trip and fall cases are rampant, it could be an issue of visibility. In this case, a doctor should review the eyes and prescribe a course of treatment. One should also review their current medication. If it causes dizziness, that problem should be solved.

One should also take steps towards developing more strength and balance. The risk of falling can very easily discourage one from anything that requires movement. Walking, tai-chi and other exercises will do well to enhance these points.

Advice for the elderly and toddlers who are only learning to walk is to keep moving. Movement is the only way one can strengthen their mobility. Falling should not discourage more attempts at physical activity. 

Walking Devices

If none of these works, it may be time to seek medical intervention. There is a chance the falls are being caused by mobility issues. In this case, a mobility aid is in order. The aid must be fitted for the space available and user.

• Cane

This can be placed near the bed or close to a favorite chair. A cane holder can be accompanied with it because canes are notorious for falling out of reach. The holder keeps it upright and ready for use.

• Walking Frame

This is sort of modified cane. It covers a larger surface area and can therefore support more weight. These come in different sizes. The most appropriate size should be picked in correspondence with height and width of the user. Factors like width of walkways and doorways in the home will be considered.

• Wheelchair

This can be either motorized or manual. A manual wheelchair requires upper body strength to propel oneself forward. Otherwise, a caregiver is necessary to push the user around.

People who lack upper body strength and woul like a little more independence use a motorized wheelchair. A joystick controls it. However, the means of control can be modified to suit the user.

If A Fall Does Happen

An emergency management system is important. The protocol should be known for everyone in the house. Emergency numbers posted in large font in a prominent place. This is important if a non-resident needs them. 

 If one shows signs of a concussion like vomiting and dizziness, medical assistance should be sought immediately. Otherwise, a home first aid kit should be kept in hand for such cases. If a child below the age of two is the victim of a fall, it is best to rush them to the hospital whether or not they seem okay. These children cannot properly communicate and therefore would be unable to let someone know if something was amiss. A fracture or cut would obviously be painful so they would cry. Sometimes the shock from the fall will cause them to cry. Truth is, there really is no way to tell.

An elderly person who lives by himself or herself or is alone most of the time should splurge for an emergency alarm bracelet. This is worn on the wrist and sends out a message that someone needs help. Other similar options can be looked into.