June is National Safety Month, an annual observance designed to raise awareness to safety no matter where you are. Throughout the month, National Safety Month focuses on issues like slip and falls and injury prevention. These are important factors as your mom ages at home.
What aspects of fall prevention should you be discussing this month? If your mom lives alone, it’s important to look at her safety at home and determine what steps to take to heighten her safety.
Check Her Home and Lifestyle For Factors That Increase the Risk of a Fall
Look over your mom’s home for flooring issues that increase the fall risk. Scatter rugs on hardwood or tile flooring can cause a slip and fall accident. A slippery shower floor can lead to a fall, especially if there are no grab bars for support.
Kitchen floors are often tile, laminate, wood, or linoleum. If they get wet from a food spill or water, they’re slippery. Protective kitchen mats in front of the sink and stove can help prevent a fall.
Throughout the year, someone needs to be maintaining your mom’s outdoor stairs and patio areas. Wet leaves, lawn clippings, snow, and ice all increase the risk of a fall. If she is unable to take care of these areas on her own, hire someone to ensure her yard and outdoor patio areas are clear of materials that can cause her to slip.
If your mom takes daily prescriptions, what are the side effects? Dizziness, lightheadedness, and drowsiness are three concerning side effects when it comes to an increased fall risk. If your mom’s medications can cause a sudden drop in blood pressure, that also increases the risk. Because of these possible dangers, having home care with your senior while taking medications can greatly increase their safety.
How bright is your mom’s home lighting? LED bulbs are energy-efficient and provide bright lighting. Older CFL bulbs may take a while to warm up and produce bright lighting. In that time, your mom could trip on an object she doesn’t see on the floor.
Some areas are less likely to be brightly lit. The bottom of her stairs, especially in the basement, outdoor walkway, or garage may not have lights that illuminate the bottom steps. Adding lights to ensure all steps are illuminated helps your mom avoid a fall.
Home Care Can Help
It may be time to arrange home care services. Your mom doesn’t have to be alone all day. She can have caregivers help her with tasks that increase her risk of a fall.
Has your mom fallen trying to walk down to the laundry room on her own? Has she fallen in the shower? Do her medications make her feel lightheaded? With any of this, it’s time to address the benefits of home care services.
Instead of your mom being at risk when she lives alone, she can have home care aides available to help your mom with the riskier daily activities like laundry, housework, and showers. Call a home care agency to get started.
Source
https://www.nsc.org/community-safety/safety-topics/older-adult-falls
If you or an aging loved one is considering home care in Webster, FL, please contact the caring staff at Golden Heart Senior Care of Clermont today. 1-888-423-4046.