Preventing The Most Common Form of Injury For Older Adults

• Tip: Perform a Safety Check
• Tip: Hold On
• Tip: Light The Way
• Tip: Emergency Help

What might appear to be a safe and secure home can have hidden dangers especially for older adults. Over the years, conditions in the home change, as do the abilities of seniors. Without realizing it, hazardous circumstances can arise that cause falling. In fact, falls are the most common cause of visits to the emergency room among seniors. One in three seniors fall at least once, with 60 percent of fatal falls occurring in the home, according to the Brain Injury Association, Inc.

Although Dynamic Living has many products to help you cope with daily living after a fall, we strongly advocate the prevention of accidents in the first place.

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Tip: The first step - perform a safety check.

We suggest using the following questions to initiate a dialogue with a loved one or even to become informed yourself:

1. Is the lighting adequate, especially near stairs, hallways and the front door?

2. Are the light switches easy to turn on and off?

3. Is there a telephone and a lamp on the nightstand?

4. Is there a nightlight in the bathroom?

5. Is there clutter on the floors, especially around pathways?

6. Are there any broken floorboards, tears in the linoleum or carpet or abrupt changes in flooring, such as thresholds that could cause tripping?

7. Are throw rugs secured to the floor?

8. Does the bathroom/shower have non-skid flooring?

9. Is there a tub/shower seat in the bathing area?

10. Are there sturdy grab bars or rails where falls most frequently occur: by the stairs, by the bathtub, by the toilet?

Once you've answered these questions, make sure you follow through by making the necessary modifications to those areas that need attention. Most of the following recommendations do not involve substantial lifestyle changes or great sums of money, but have an enormous impact on preventing accidents.

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Tip: Hold On

A common modification is the use of grab bars. Install them throughout the home, especially in areas that require frequent sitting and standing. Many wall mounted grab bars can be found at the local hardware store or pharmacy. Because you rely on a grab bar to hold you up as you exert tremendous pressure on it, Dynamic Living strongly suggests installation by a qualified professional.

There are also grab bar options that do not require wall mounting:

• SuperPole - A floor-to-ceiling tension pole installs easily to aid in standing or sitting anywhere in the home. Unlike the wall-mounted grab bar, you don't have to be near a wall.

• Smart Rail - Attached to the bed frame, this unique rail locks into place at the bedside. A simple lift is all it takes to unlock and swing the rail out for a more effective position to help you stand up and get out of bed - no reaching, no twisting.

• Advantage Rail - This floor-mounted support bar features a handle that pivots to move with you in safe, small steps. It can also lock in an instant to assist you to a seated position.

• Tri-Grip Bar - This bathtub rail has three textured gripping areas to make it easier to reach and get support while getting into and out of the bathtub.

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It is also important to keep doorways accessible and clear, especially for individuals using canes or walkers.

• Offset Hinge - An expandable hinge can add 2 inches to any doorway. It uses the same screws and holes as the existing hinge.

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Tip: Light The Way

Another potential hazard is inadequate light. Because of age-related changes in vision, more lighting may be needed to do familiar tasks. It also takes longer for the eyes to focus when there are changes in lighting. A small change like increasing the light bulb strength in the hallway can help dramatically.

• Voice-Activated Light Switch - No more fumbling in the dark to turn on a light. Use your voice to turn lights on and off. The device can also activate fans and radios.

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Tip: Emergency Help

After making physical modifications throughout the home, we recommend the use of an emergency aid to summon help if you do fall. Options include:

• Personal Paging System - With this small portable pager system, shouting is no longer necessary. Perfect for use within a home, simply press a button to alert a caregiver or family member when they are needed.

• Personal Emergency Response System - If you are alone at home and require emergency help, you can push the button on this special bracelet or pendant and a communicator connected to your phone dials a 24-hour monitoring center where an attendant will dispatch a designated neighbor, relative or emergency service.

Don't wait too long to make sure your that home is safe. Make the changes now, while you are in a healthy physical condition. The financial burden now is minimal compared to the potential risk of injury later.

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© Copyright 2000 Dynamic Living, Inc.
Dynamic Living Newsletter may only be redistributed in its unedited form. Written permission from the editor must be obtained to reprint or cite the information contained within this newsletter.

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