Blog: As we get older, the chances of us having a fall increase. The consequences of having a fall also become more serious. However, there are a number of ways in which we can reduce the chances of having a fall. In this the guest blog about preventing falls, by our home care partners, Bluebird Care, we’ll look at how your home environment can be tweaked to make falling less of a risk.
Visit Bluebird Care’s Website – Bluebird provide Home Care, Night Care, Live-in Care and other forms of care in Halifax and Calderdale.
Fall Prevention 2 – Your Home & Garden
Most falls occur in your own home or garden. The good news is that these are environments you can change and adapt to make them safer. Below are a few of the things you can do to make them safer:
OUTSIDE YOUR HOME
Make sure that the walkways and paths to your front door or building are smooth and level. Keep them clear of clutter. Store bins and other bulky objects away off the main pathways and approaches. Similarly, make sure that plans in your garden are not encroaching onto your pathways or narrowing them. If lighting is poor, install motion-sensitive outdoor lighting. Steps should have a hand-rail running alongside them.
Employ a gardener to or ask your friends, family and carers to help you keep fallen leaves off pathways. Get stone flags and flat-smooth surfaces cleaned regularly, so they don’t become slippery. Avoid gardening and DIY jobs that put you at risk of falling – especially jobs that involve ladders, step-ladder and reaching high above your head.
INSIDE YOUR HOME
Keep your home clutter free. Avoid storing items on the floor. Ask yourself if you can touch the walls on all passageways without reaching over boxes or other clutter.
Keep you floor coverings well maintained. Carpets should be firmly fastened down, without holes or fraying. Rugs can be attractive to look at, but they are a serious trip hazard. Mats in bathrooms and on other smooth floors should have an anti-slip base. The safest floors are covered by one material for the full width.
Clean up any spillages in kitchens and bathrooms. Wash these floors regularly to remove potentially slippery substances.
Remove other trip hazards, such as trailing wires from appliances.
Make you home convenient – store this things you use regularly in places where you don’t have to stretch, lean or climb to access them. Don’t stand on chairs to reach for things. Use a proper stepladder and ask someone to help you.
Footwear and clothing can also be a falls risk. Wear properly fitting shoes or slippers. Open back or slip-on footwear should be avoided.
FRIENDS, FAMILY & CARERS
The greatest source of support with falling issues are your friends, family and your Bluebird Care professionals. If you are worried about falling, talk to them about your concerns. Let them help you identify the risks and support you as you seek to eliminate or reduce those risks.
Visit the NHS website for more information on falls prevention with some good links to health-related advice about falls: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/falls/prevention/
Visit Bluebird Care’s Website – Bluebird provide Home Care, Night Care, Live-in Care and other forms of care in Halifax and Calderdale.
Why not check out some of Bluebird Care’s other blogs – they are a great source of advice and insight from real experts in caring for older people:
Blog 20 – Bluebird Blog: Preventing Falls In Older People
Blog 19 – Bluebird Blog: Communicating With Someone With Dementia
Blog 18 – Blog: Medicine Cabinet Tips
Blog 17 – Blog: A Healthy Diet In Winter
Blog 16 – Blog: Making Christmas Special For An Older Relative
Blog 15 – Seasonal Affective Disorder
Blog 14 – Blog: Tips to keep you warm in winter
Blog 13 – Blog: Telling people about your dementia diagnosis
Blog 12 – Blog: Meet one of Bluebird’s carers, Pamela
Blog 11 – Blog: Bluebird Care looks at taking a break with someone with dementia
Blog 10 – Blog: Bluebird’s Live-in-Care Manager Talks About Her Role
Blog 9 – Blog: Bluebird Care Looking At Night Care And How It Works
Blog 8 – Blog: Bluebird Care Looking At Home Care And How It Works
Blog 7 – Blog: Bluebird Care on Live-In Care and how it works
Blog 6 – Blog: Bluebird Care on Early Diagnosis Of Dementia
Blog 5 – Blog: Bluebird Care on the challenges of communicating with a person with dementia
Blog 4 – Blog: Bluebird Care on ways to look after your health when you have dementia
Blog 3 – Bluebird Care’s tips for preparing for winter
Blog 2 – Bluebird Care’s Community Work
Blog 1 – Introducing Bluebird Care | Visit Bluebird Care’s Website
