Falling is the single most common cause of injuries among senior Utahns, but it doesn’t have to be. When older adults fall, they usually do so at home…and it’s usually preventable.
That’s because senior falls at home are frequently due to hazards that can be removed with the right skills and knowledge. Preventing senior falls is largely just a matter of identifying fall risks in your loved one’s house and finding the resources to fix them.
Here’s how to ensure the seniors in your life can age in place with confidence:
Top Resources for Preventing Senior Falls in South Valley
One of the most important things you can do to help with healthy aging for seniors is to reduce their fall risk, and South Valley has no shortage of ways to help. From services to install accessibility features and fix up issues to housekeeping assistance to remove tripping hazards, here are some of the best options in South Valley.
Give Them a Hand(yman)
Preventing senior falls is often easier than people tend to assume. Falls at home are frequently due to a tripping hazard of some sort, such as loose floorboards or slippery stairs, which can very often be solved with the right tools and a little elbow grease.
That’s not to say home repairs are easy, of course—they take a decent amount of time and know-how to handle on your own. If you don’t have the skills to handle your loved one’s home maintenance (or if you just don’t live in the area), it’s best to call a local handyman service for help.
While any decent handyman service will do for basic repairs, it’s also worth looking into services like 316 Handyman, which specialize in ADA-compliant accessibility improvements. They’ll do everything from installing simple grab bars and ramps to more involved improvements like adjusting the height of door thresholds to eliminate tripping hazards.
While they might not be able to handle the most difficult improvements (such as chair lifts or walk-in bathtubs), they’re almost always happy to refer you to someone who does. With their help, your loved one’s house will be able to meet their needs again.
Tighten Up Carpets.
It’s true that most tripping hazards in the home are relatively easy to handle…but a few aren’t. Especially in older homes, one fairly common cause of senior falls is a loose carpet. Old carpets tend to stretch and lose tension over time, causing them to become slippery or bunch up. The most obvious solution is to replace them, but that can be prohibitively expensive.
However, there’s an alternative. Instead of replacing old carpets entirely, it’s possible to pull them taut and secure them, ensuring they’re firm underfoot and free of any hazardous bunches and loose patches. Because it requires a set of highly specialized tools that few people keep on hand, it’s not DIY-friendly for most people. That’s why it’s a good idea to call a service like The Rug Wrench to handle it.
Clear Out Walkways
Not all tripping hazards can be removed for good. It’s easy to dismiss everyday clutter as a major fall risk because it’s not nailed down, but it often accumulates quicker than many older adults can deal with. If you know an older adult who struggles to keep their walkways free of tripping hazards, it’s a good idea to either handle it for them or hire them a cleaning service like Glam Home Cleaning. Many of these services also offer customizable cleans—for example, you might ask them to clear out food that’s gone bad in the fridge.
Is your loved one particularly tidy? In some ways, cleaning services are actually more helpful for older adults who aggressively clean their house. Cleaning involves a lot of reaching and bending motions that are hard for people who struggle with mobility, and industrious seniors are often prone to overdoing it and hurting themselves. By hiring someone to take care of it before they get a chance, you can prevent them from trying anything too risky.
Get Help Preventing Senior Falls in South Valley, UT
Preventing senior falls in the home isn’t complicated—it just requires the right resources, and fortunately, South Valley has plenty. From help tidying up tripping hazards in the walkways to services for both general and specialized home improvement, there are plenty of resources for senior fall prevention right in your backyard.
There’s one more resource worth mentioning, and it’s a bit more hands-on than the rest: professional caregivers. The compassionate and dedicated caregivers at FirstLight Home Care of South Valley can offer older adults a steady hand to lean on, helping them keep their footing in and out of the house. They can also spot any potential tripping hazards that might appear and remove them before they cause problems.
Want to learn more about how we can help? Contact us today.
