Winter is upon us and now is the perfect time to for caregivers of seniors, as well as friends and family, to become familiar with the risks of senior falling. Falling can have serious consequences for seniors so it’s vital to learn more about the risks and the potential impacts on their health.

Preventing Senior Falling

Did you know that the number one cause of injuries among seniors is falling? It accounts for more than 2 million visits to the emergency room each year! With a third of senior citizens falling annually, we need to educate ourselves about senior falling and how to prevent them. As we grow older, our bones become more brittle, leading to more serious injuries. These injuries can have a huge impact on quality of life.

Here are some stats from the Center for Disease Control:

• Senior falling is the among the top causes for Traumatic Brain Injury. (TBI) This can lead to even more falls, often resulting in death.
• Falls are the number one cause of broken bones in older Americans. Severe injuries such as breaking a hip, can lead to devastating consequences.
• When a senior has suffered a bad fall, they often become fearful of falling again, which leads to decreased mobility. Lack of physical fitness only serves to increase the risk of falling.
• More men than women die from senior falling each year.
• Senior women suffer more bone fractures than men.
• Tens of billions of dollars are spent each year on direct medical bills.

Although these facts seem dismal, there is no reason to think senior falling is just part of the aging process. There are simple things caregivers and families can do to prevent falls, and even the seniors themselves can help prevent falling by staying fit and improving balance.

Tips for Preventing Senior Falls

The most important thing in preventing falls is understanding the risks. Things like not being physically fit or active, chronic medical conditions, medication issues, and vision problems are just a few risk factors. Learning more about these risks will help greatly in preventing a fall in the first place.

Here are some helpful tips from the Council on Aging:

1. Make sure your senior loved one has regular vision and hearing checkups
2. Sign up for a balance class, or other exercise programs designed for seniors
3. Talk about it! Encourage conversation with their doctor to help them understand the risks of falling and how to prevent them.
4. Pay attention to the way they are walking or standing, especially if you notice them holding onto things as they move about.
5. Discuss medication side effects with their doctor. Some medications can increase dizziness or drowsiness, which can be a big fall risk.
6. Take up lose rugs around the house, as they can be a tripping hazard.

Senior falling can be prevented! By learning more about it and taking steps to prevent falls, you can greatly reduce the risk of a traumatic fall.

If you need help caring for a senior loved one, we can help. Call us or visit our Home Helpers website.

Home Helpers of San Mateo County is a locally-owned, trusted home health care agency and offers quality, compassionate senior in-home care services including home care assistance, personal care, companion care, respite care, Alzheimer’s & dementia care as well as homemaker services in Burlingame, San Mateo, Half Moon Bay, Daly City, San Carlos, Redwood City, Belmont, Foster City, Hillsborough, Pacifica, Millbrae, Montara, and San Bruno.

A newborn’s homecoming is often preceded by a frenzy of childproofing. However, caregivers often do not see to seniorproofing the home until after a scare or injury occurs. Or they are not sure how to go about making the home a safe environment for aging loved ones, especially those who need care for disease or recuperative issues, or for decreased cognitive ability.

Below you will find some simple ways to make your home safer and more convenient for your aging loved ones.

Lighting
Light that is adequate for younger adults often is not adequate for older adults, many of whom have decreased vision due to aging or to health problems such as diabetes which affect the eyes. Be proactive about lighting and make sure that areas around entry doors, hallways, and stairways are well lit. Err on the bright side. Use higher wattage bulbs or add extra lights if needed. Touch lights are a great way to add light to an area not wired for regular lighting. Motion sensor lights let seniors move throughout the home without having to locate or reach for light switches. Glow-in-the-dark switch plates are another good alternative.

Use Hardware, Not Hard Wear
Seniors, particularly those with arthritis, who sometimes struggle to open doors or windows. If your current hardware is proving to be “hard wear” on your loved one, then a simple change might be needed. For instance, lever type door handles are easier to open than round handles which must be gripped more tightly in order to be turned. Crank style window openers can be impossible for some seniors to use.

Restricted Access
Seniors with a cognitive impairment or some form of Dementia must be protected from themselves. It is critical for caregivers to restrict access to dangerous areas without having to stand guard over these seniors 24/7. Childproofing tools such as special door locks or cabinet closures work well for this purpose. Any area containing dangerous items like cleaners, bleach, meds, chemicals, etc., should be secured from your loved one. Door alarms are available at little cost. When set, an alarm will sound if the door is opened.

Move It or Lose It
Seniors need to retain as much mobility as possible. In order to stay mobile indoors, they need to be able to move safely throughout the house. Get rid of tripping hazards like rugs and stair runners, rooms overly cluttered by furnishings, or items which constrict movement through the room. Place a trunk or basket in each shared space for quick storage of toys after play. Perhaps a toy-free zone can be enforced where your senior spends the most time. Alternatively, a senior-free zone can also be set so toys in the floor there are not a falling hazard.

Keep a bench or chair beside entry doors so your loved one can sit to don or remove boots or weather gear. Add a full-height barstool to the kitchen counter area to make it easier for a senior to prep and cook food. If your senior completes grooming in a bedroom, make sure there is a chair or sturdy stool to sit on while drying hair or putting on makeup, etc.

A chair in the bathroom enables a senior to sit to finish drying off without having to bend over and risk overbalancing. Walk-in tubs and showers are safer and easier to use for seniors. Add handrails in the shower, bath, and toilet areas. If you need a bath mat, then purchase one designed to grip the floor. It will present a lesser chance of causing your senior to trip and fall.

Can We Hear Them Now?
The unavoidable truth is that no matter how many safety precautions we take, unexpected accidents do happen. When they happen to our seniors, it’s critical that they be able to call for immediate help. A few minutes of delay can be fatal. You can try a personal emergency response system. Your senior would wear a device as a pendent or bracelet which can be pushed if they need help. A call-assist program is similarly helpful.

If there is no such program in your area, then have your senior keep a cell-phone with him or her at all times. As a last resort, make sure there is a phone in arm’s reach of where your senior spends the most time (recliner, bed, computer desk, etc.).

If your senior enjoys the outdoors, but doesn’t speak fluent cell phone or push-for-help, then purchase a coach’s whistle. Tell your senior to wear it when outdoors and, if help is needed, to blow it and keep blowing it until someone responds. The odds are that the whistle will be heard more easily than a cry for help.

Where to Begin
Seniors fall most often in the bathroom where most surfaces are hard and/or sharp-edged. So, begin in the bathroom. It’s an excellent start toward a home that is not only welcoming, but also safe for your loved one.

For more tips on caring for seniors, visit our senior home care blog.

Home Helpers of San Mateo County is a locally-owned, trusted home health care agency and offers quality, compassionate senior in-home care services including home care assistance, personal care, companion care, respite care, Alzheimer’s & dementia care as well as homemaker services in Burlingame, San Mateo, Half Moon Bay, Daly City, San Carlos, Redwood City, Belmont, Foster City, Hillsborough, Pacifica, Millbrae, Montara, and San Bruno.

Life, as are many things, is often not always about quantity so much as it is about quality. Aging seniors often face losses in the quality of their lives well before they face the end of their days. It’s not enough just to see to their medical needs. We must also see to their mental and emotional needs in order to help them have a positive view of life.

In fact, a positive view of life can help alleviate some of the medical issues that seniors face such as cognitive decline and stress, lack of energy and appetite. Below are five tips you can use to help improve your aging senior’s quality of life.

1. Monitor and treat depression.
Millions of seniors age 65+ are affected by depression. The cause can be a single trigger like losing a spouse, being unable to stay in their own home any longer, or retirement. Medical triggers can come from disease or even medication.

Speak with your doctor and get familiar with the signs of depression. If you notice warning signs, seek medical treatment for your senior.

2. Remind seniors that they are useful and needed.
People of all ages want to feel needed. Being useful is a reinforcement that they are needed. Find ways to make your senior feel useful and needed. A great fear among the elderly is that of becoming a burden. Feeling like a contributing member of the household helps to alleviate that fear. Find ways to make them feel wanted.

Ask seniors for help with tasks appropriate for their abilities. Ask for help to fold laundry (If it’s all folded, sneak to the linen closet, unfold towels, etc., and toss them into a clothes basket). They can clip coupons and make grocery or shopping lists, or tell you the latest stories on the news. Ask for help to prep food for cooking. Ask for company while running errands.

3. Encourage physical activity.
Try to encourage some regular physical activity. Walking, physical therapy exercises, even clapping hands to music all stimulate blood flow, relieve stress and anxiety, and encourage heart health. Exercise also improves the quality of sleep, builds stamina, and can relieve depression.

4. Encourage mental activity.
Everyone needs mental stimulation. Seniors need this type of activity to retain or improve cognitive function and, also, to gain or maintain an overall sense of well-being.

Offer daily “brain games” such as sudoku, crossword puzzles, reading, writing, and storytelling. These are wonderful activities to keep the mind engaged and sharp.

5. Keep them connected.
Seniors can often become isolated and lonely, especially if they are unable to drive or have mobility issues. These seniors are at greater risk for dementia. They also have shorter life spans. Help your aging senior to stay connected to family, friends, and community.

Arrange family visits or outings for your aged adult, especially holidays or days of family celebration like weddings or birthdays. Line up transportation to get them to senior centers, church, or community functions. Encourage volunteerism. Suggest a new hobby (possibly one you can do together).

For more tips on caring for your senior loved ones, visit our blog page.

Home Helpers of San Mateo County is a locally-owned, trusted home health care agency and offers quality, compassionate senior in-home care services including home care assistance, personal care, companion care, respite care, Alzheimer’s & dementia care as well as homemaker services in Burlingame, San Mateo, Half Moon Bay, Daly City, San Carlos, Redwood City, Belmont, Foster City, Hillsborough, Pacifica, Millbrae, Montara, and San Bruno.