How to Reduce the Fall Risk for a Senior Loved One

 As we grow older, falls become a serious threat to our overall safety and wellbeing. Falls can result in injuries, mobility limitations, and a fear of falling that can prevent seniors from enjoying their daily life or engaging in their favorite activities. This risk can also cause a lot of worry to family caregivers. If you’re feeling lost or overwhelmed as a caregiver, you can find solace in the Daily Devotions for Caregivers blog. That said, there are also some actionable steps you can take to prevent your loved one from suffering a fall, so you can both rest easy.

 Make Some Home Modifications

 Investing in a few modifications can make your loved one’s home more accessible and help them stay safe.

       ●     Help your senior loved one declutter their home so they can enjoy a safer, organized space.

●       Installing grab bars in the bathroom can help your loved one feel safe and confident in tackling their activities of daily living (ADLs).

●       Improve the lighting in your loved one’s home so they can better avoid obstacles and maintain their balance.

●       Choose a slip-resistant flooring material that allows for smooth travel for a person using a walker or wheelchair.

 Hire Home Care Help

 As a family caregiver, it’s important to recognize when you could use a hand. Home care services can make your loved one’s life easier and more comfortable!

 

●       If your senior loved one cannot perform their ADLs safely, it may be time to hire an in-home caregiver.

●       Home care services can include help with things like meal preparation and errand running.

●       Alternatively, your senior loved one may benefit from adult daycare while you are away at work and cannot provide assistance.

 Encourage Healthy Habits

Keeping the body healthy is one of the best ways to prevent falls and avoid suffering an injury from a fall.

 

●       Staying active through outdoor and indoor exercises can significantly improve the health of seniors.

●       Regular strength training can keep seniors’ muscles strong so they can catch themselves if they stumble.

●       Flexibility exercises like yoga can protect your loved one’s joints, tendons, and ligaments from fall injuries. Yoga can also help with balance!

●       Help your loved one get started with some beginner-friendly yoga moves.

 

What to Do When a Senior Falls

 It can be scary to watch your senior loved one fall right in front of you—and even scarier if you’re not there. Make sure you know what to do!

 

●       Before helping your loved one get up from a fall, check for signs of injury.

●       Learn how to help a senior get up from a fall safely without causing injury to them or yourself.

●       If your senior loved one lives alone, consider investing in a medical alert system to automatically notify emergency response services if they fall.

 

Your senior loved one’s home should be a place where they feel safe and comfortable. Unfortunately, the risk of suffering a fall can make seniors fearful of the activities they once enjoyed. Help your loved one make their home a safer place so you can both enjoy some peace of mind!