When older adults fall, it usually happens at home. In most cases, they happen for one of two reasons: Either they trip over an obstacle or some kind, or they need some kind of additional help getting around the house. That can be worrying to think about, but it’s actually good news: It means that many of these falls are preventable with the right resources.
Fortunately, seniors in League City happen to have many of those resources right in their backyards. Here are some of our favorites:
Resources for Preventing Falls at Home in League City, TX
From house cleaning and handyman services to expert advice on fall prevention, there are plenty of ways to prevent falls in League City, TX. Here are our favorites:
Keep it Tidy
Most falls at home begin with a tripping hazard of some kind, like a slippery patch on a tile floor, spilled liquid that isn’t cleaned up or a loose shoe. It’s easy to ignore objects in walkways as hazards because we think they’re easy to put away, but seniors don’t always have the energy to tidy up. As a result, they tend to build up over time, making it hard to find a clear route through the house.
On the other hand, some older adults are aggressive cleaners, but they’re often prone to overdoing it. The bending, reaching and lifting movements involved in house cleaning can be difficult for seniors with impaired balance or coordination.
To make sure your loved one doesn’t trip over any loose objects or go on an overzealous cleaning spree, it’s a good idea to get help from a trustworthy cleaning service. By scheduling regular maintenance cleanings, they’ll make sure the house stays clean, tidy and free of tripping hazards. Some of these services, such as DK’s Dustbusters, go a step further making it possible to request and schedule specific services online. That means you can make sure their home is clean and free of tripping hazards from anywhere in the world.
Get Expert Advice
The other main cause of senior falls at home is that their house just doesn’t meet their needs anymore. Because of issues with mobility, vision and coordination, parts of the house that were once awkward to navigate can become difficult or hazardous. That doesn’t mean it’s time for them to move to assisted living; it just means their house needs a few improvements to meet their changing needs.
However, it’s not easy for most people to tell what exactly those needs might be. Every senior has unique mobility needs, and accessibility improvements that are vital for one might be useless for another.
If a senior in your life needs their home to be a little easier to get around, it’s worth getting some expert advice from physical therapy doctors like those at Stay At Home Texas. By observing your loved one’s home and how they move around it, these doctors can figure out what sort of assistance might help make life easier. They can also advise on placement of grab bars, traction mats and other improvements to ensure you install them where they’ll be most helpful.
Lend Them A Hand
Once you know which accessibility improvements to add and where to put them, the next step is to install them. Some, like reflective tape and high-traction strips, are simple to add on your own, but most require some amount of skills and tools. Grab bars, for example, are trickier to install than most people think. Not only do you need to position them in the most helpful places, you also need to make sure they can bear several times your loved one’s body weight in case of a fall. That takes some know-how to accomplish.
If you’re not particularly handy—or you’re just not local to help—it’s a great idea to get a handyman service like Nailed It to install whichever accessibility improvements are needed for your loved one’s home. These features are about safety and quality of life, so it pays off to make sure they’re done right the first time. A good handyman can also help with many other household tasks that seniors can’t (or shouldn’t) do on their own, such as junk hauling, picture hanging or anything involving a ladder.
Caregivers Are Great at Preventing Falls at Home
Hearing that senior falls tend to happen at home can feel scary, but it’s actually a good thing: It means that they’re usually preventable. Fortunately, League City is full of resources to help, from experts who can advise on accessibility improvements to handymen who can install them.
If a senior in your life needs a little more help avoiding falls, FirstLight Home Care of League City is here for them. Our compassionate caregivers offer hands-on assistance preventing falls at home by giving older adults a steady hand to lean on and clearing out tripping hazards. They can also help seniors stay active by accompanying them out of the house and offering transportation.
Want to learn more about how we can help your loved one avoid falls? Contact us today.
