Are You At Risk of FallingIn Your Home?

A big fall risk is at a seemingly safe place: the home. Older adults can experience a fall for many reasons, including several environmental factors, according to our resident RN Sharon Roth Maguire. She says fall risks can come from the home environment, both the inside and the outside, along with the individual’s characteristics like physical well-being, strength and mobility and even medications.

Home Things such as lighting, furniture and throw rugs in the home can cause falls. Maguire says that as we age, our vision is somewhat compromised and we have a greater need for light. When there isn’t adequate light in your pathway, use night lights and motion-sensor lights. Glare can also be an issue. You can experience exaggerated glare when going from your dark home to the bright sunshine outside.

Furniture If furniture isn’t helping you, it can produce a fall risk. If you don’t have a sturdy chair with firm arm rests, it can lead to a fall risk. Throw pillows and other loose furniture can fall to the floor and cause you to trip or fall. The corner of a throw rug can turn and catch your foot.

Clutter This makes a path very difficult to navigate. With too much clutter on your way, such as clothes or even garbage, walking from the living room to the kitchen can be a disaster. Cleaning up clutter and keeping an open path can keep you safe in the home.

Outdoor pathsThere can be difficult cracks or obstacles in your sidewalk or stairs just outside the home. Make sure to have someone help you move around these cracks when leaving your home. Correcting and possibly repairing the concrete can keep you safe. Your physical environment can contribute to your fall risk, Maguire says.

Are you aware of risk factors in your home or in that of a loved one? At BrightStar Care, we have specially-trained CNAs who are trained to identify key fall risk factors and even complete a home-safety checklist at the beginning of care. Click here to learn more about our efforts to “Focus on Falls” or contact our local team for more information.

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