Safety Tips to Prevent Injury from Falls in Elderly

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offer many safety tips for fall prevention for the elderly. Many of these tips can be completed easily and quickly in your own home. Safeguarding your home in order to prevent falls may increase the quality of your life or the life of someone you love.
As a start, make sure the floors of your home are clear. If furniture is blocking a pathway, ask someone to move it in order to have a clear pathway for walking. Rugs, which present an often unnoticed danger, should either be removed from the floor or taped down with non-slip material or double-sided tape. Also, be sure all cords and wires are coiled or taped to the wall in order to avoid tripping.
Next, if you have stairs in your home, the pathway needs to be clear. If any steps are broken or uneven, be sure to call a repair man in order to get them fixed. It is also beneficial to have a light over the stairwell in order to see properly when walking up or down the stairs at night. People also have found it to be advantageous to have a light switch at both the top and the bottom of the stairs. It is important that the handrails are tight and continue the length of the stairwell on both sides.
In your kitchen, keep items that are used frequently on lower shelves. This prevents falls occurring from the use of chairs or stools. If you must use a step stool, make sure it has a bar to hold on to.
In your bathroom put a non-slip rubber mat on the floor of the tub or shower to prevent slipping. You may also want to have hand rails or grab bars near the tub and toilet.
In your bedroom, place lamps on each side of the bed where they are easily accessible. An automatic night-light may also help to brighten the room at night and make a pathway easier to see.
The previously listed steps can improve the safety of your home in just a few minutes. Taking the time to safeguard your home can prevent you or a loved one from having a fall-related injury in the future.
-Sascha Coe