Tens of thousands of older adults are hospitalized for fall-related injuries across the greater Los Angeles region annually. While we tend to talk about increased fall risk for older adults, falling is not a normal part of aging, and the health risks associated with a fall go beyond the potential for injury.
The good news? That means that, with the right senior fall prevention resources, most falls can be avoided. Marina del Rey hosts many businesses and programs designed to help seniors stay on their feet and living confidently in the homes they love.
The Best Senior Fall Prevention Resources in Marina del Rey
Keeping clear walkways, improving visibility and adding accessibility improvements to the home mitigate the top fall risks for seniors. Here’s how to address each, as well as who in Marina del Rey can help.
Keep Walkways Clear and Tidy
Tripping hazards are one of the most common causes of senior falls at home. From slippery floors and loose carpets to objects left in walkways, there’s no shortage of things in the home that older adults might stumble over.
It’s common to overlook tripping hazards because they’re often easy to remove, but they never stop accumulating—especially when there’s a pet in the home—and seniors don’t always have the energy to tidy up. That’s why it’s a good idea to sign them up for maintenance tidying from a reliable cleaning service like The Santa Monica Cleaning Company. In addition to keeping floors and carpets clean, they’ll make sure shoes, pet toys and other objects don’t clutter up the walkways.
Light Things Up
Another common cause of falls at home is lack of visibility at night. As we get older, we tend to lose low-light vision, coordination and body awareness, which can make it very difficult to move around without at least a visual point of reference.
That’s why a little illumination around the edges of the floor, particularly on the edges of stairs, can be very helpful. Low-to-the-ground night lights and light strips are a great place to start, outlining the edges of walkways and making any tripping hazards visible. There should also be a light source within reach of their bed, like a table lamp or wall-mounted sconce.
But what if your loved one’s house doesn’t have outlets in the right places, or they’d prefer sleeker, recessed lighting? If that’s the case, it’s a good idea to contact a good electrical service like Alex & Alex. In addition to adding outlets that make night lights usable, a good electrician can help by installing all sorts of fixtures to light up the home and make it more beautiful at the same time.
Improve Their Home
Keeping floors clear and well-lit can help prevent many falls, but not all of them. As we get older and less mobile, areas of the home that were once no issue to navigate can become troublesome—and those that were tricky become hazardous. However, accessibility improvements like grab bars and high-traction floor coatings are often enough to make your loved one’s home work for their needs again.
However, many of these improvements can be trickier to install than you might expect. For example, grab bars need to be placed somewhere where they’ll be useful (such as the bathroom), but they also need to be attached firmly to a stud in the wall so they can support multiple times the user’s body weight. If you’re not confident enough in your DIY skills—or if you don’t live nearby—it’s a good idea to contact a trustworthy contractor.
Any contractor will do, but your best bet is one that specializes in accessibility such as Mr. Handyman. They tend to know exactly where and how to install accessibility improvements, and many of them are also equipped to handle more ambitious improvements like ramps or chair lifts.
Get Help With Senior Fall Prevention in Marina del Rey, CA
To help seniors age well, it’s crucial to reduce their risk of falling—and in Marina del Rey, there are plenty of ways to help. From contractors to install lighting and accessibility improvements to cleaning services to keep walkways free of tripping hazards, there’s no shortage of options for senior fall prevention right here.
If your loved one needs a little more direct help avoiding falls, FirstLight Home Care of Marina del Rey is here for them. Our compassionate caregivers can offer them a steady hand to lean on as they go about through their day, reducing their risk of falling while lifting their spirits.
Ready to learn more about how our caregivers can help reduce older adults’ fall risk? Contact us today.
