6 Easy Ways to Make a Senior’s Home Fall-Proof

Falls are a serious health concern for seniors, causing broken bones, severe bruising and injuries that can have a lasting effect on the quality of life. If you’re worried about your senior parent or loved one falling at home, here are some easy ways to make their home a safer, more fall-free space, from our in-home senior care team:

1. Secure rugs. Seniors tend to shuffle their feet rather than lifting each foot cleanly off the ground, which makes it more likely for them to trip over uneven floors. Anchor down rugs with non-slip rug pads to prevent them from sliding, folding, curling, or wrinkling, or put them in storage. Any high pile rugs should be removed.
2. Create wide, clear walking paths. Stairways should be completely clear of items and all walkways should be kept as wide as possible. This allows seniors to move easily through the home even with a walker, cane or wheelchair.
3. Increase the lighting. As eyesight diminishes with age it becomes more difficult to see hazards before falling over them. Increased lighting can be a big help, especially in frequently used rooms, entrances and around stairs. Install bulbs with the highest wattage recommended for the fixture and add bedside lighting so your loved one doesn’t have to get up and move in the dark to turn on lights.
4. Non-slip stairs. Unless the stairs are carpeted, they don’t provide much traction, and this can lead to a bad fall. If you don’t want to carpet the stairs, apply non-slip adhesive strips to each stair tread to ensure good grip. It’s also important that the handrail is in good condition and properly secured.
5. Clear out. It’s easy for our homes to become crowded with stuff, but this can quickly become a serious hazard to the elderly. Now is a good time to do a thorough home clear out of furniture, old magazines and books, and other items that create clutter. Re-arrange furniture so that it is easier to navigate around a room. Hosting a garage sale can create a budget for aesthetic or safety upgrades!
6. Install grab-bars. Bathrooms are not generally designed for seniors or the disabled. The combination of water and slippery surfaces makes daily bathing and grooming activities high fall-risk situations. Grab bars are ideal for supporting older adults getting in and out of the bath and shower and are easy to install — just make sure they are properly secured.

Senior Independent Home Care in NJ – Compassion, Care and Independence!

At United Methodist Communities, a leading seniors homecare services provider in New Jersey, we offer tailored, compassionate care through our HomeWorks program. In this program, we focus on offering in home senior care for the elderly tailored to their specific requirements to provide them, their families and caregivers with personalized, compassionate care that prioritizes health, happiness and independence.

For more information on our senior independent home care services, please contact us today or visit our website at https://umcommunities.org/homeworks/elderly-home-health-care-nj/