The vast majority (more than 75%) of adults over 50 would prefer to remain at home while they age. It’s understandable, especially in an area as beautiful as ours. However, more than 50% of falls happen in the home, meaning taking aging in place from dream to reality requires some help. That could mean working on improving their balance, adding new safety features or getting assistance with tasks that are more likely to cause falls.
Luckily for seniors in west suburban Boston, there’s no shortage of resources to help them age in the manner they’d prefer—surrounded by the comforts of home.
Preventing Falls for Seniors in West Suburban Boston
Newton, Needham, Wellesley and the surrounding towns are full of resources to help seniors stay on their feet and in the home they love. With knowledgeable professionals, balance-building classes and more, the Boston suburbs are a wealth of resources for those looking to age in place.
- Improve Balance and Reduce Stress
As we age, our balance, coordination and strength tend to diminish, which is at least partly responsible for most senior falls. However, regular physical exercise can mitigate and even reverse this loss of stability.
Seniors who’ve already fallen often avoid physical exercise because they’re afraid of falling again, but this only causes stability to diminish further. Here’s the good news: Suburban Boston has a wide variety of senior workout classes that combine gentle movements with stabilizing objects like chairs or grab bars. By giving your loved one a chance to get moving in a warm, encouraging environment with little risk of falling, these classes can help them regain both their balance and their confidence.
Some of the most effective workout classes for seniors in West Suburban Boston are designed specifically to improve stability, and there are great options right in our backyard. Tolles Parsons Center in Needham hosts two fantastic options. Seated Strength & Balance works to target stabilizing muscles while using a chair as a supportive anchor, while Yoga for Balance also targets joint mobility.
Balance isn’t just about strength and mobility, though. Coordination and body awareness also play a crucial role in staying up. That’s why The Center at the Heights offers a professionally-led Tai Chi & Qigong class. This traditional Chinese focuses on slow, deliberate movements. It’s a great way to build body awareness and control, making it particularly good for helping seniors move with poise and confidence.
- Make Their Home Work for Them
Did you know that most senior falls occur at home? One of the reasons that’s true is that as people age, they start to need different things out of their living space. Things like loose carpets and cluttered floors that used to be a minor annoyance are now tripping hazards. At the same time, things in their house break down and wear out, so there are more of those hazards than ever.
Fortunately, there’s plenty you can do to help your loved one just by fixing things up and improving their home. Start by clearing any clutter from the floors (especially in walkways), then move on to easy fixes: Replace old lightbulbs, tighten the screws on loose railings and nail down any protruding floorboards. Next, head to a local hardware store and get ready to make some easy improvements like adding night lights around the home and installing grab bars next to tubs, toilets and beds.
Eventually, you’re likely to come upon an improvement you can’t handle yourself. Luckily, Natick is home to Harvey Home Modifications, a contractor/handyman service that specializes in improving or remodeling houses to better meet the needs of seniors in West Suburban Boston. They know how to take your loved one’s specific needs into account, and they’ll work with you to plan and execute improvements that make their home actually work for them again.
- Get Them Help with Risky Tasks
Many seniors take a great deal of pride in their homes, and they work hard to take proper care of them. Unfortunately, many cleaning tasks are fall risks. Tidying tends to involve reaching upward, bending downward and handling awkward equipment like brooms or vacuum cleaners.
We’re not suggesting that seniors should live in dirty houses. A clean house gives them a sense of real dignity and pride that boosts their quality of life, and improves their mental health. We recommend simply handling their cleaning before they get a chance to do it themselves, as often as you can.
The more accustomed your loved one becomes to having the cleaning done for them, the less likely they are to get up on a step stool to try to reach a pesky cobweb. Consistency matters here, so don’t be afraid to get help from a professional cleaning service like MaidPro of Needham. They’ll show up every time on a schedule you choose to keep the home tidy and free of tripping hazards.
Find a Partner for Fall Prevention
With the right resources on your side, reducing fall risk becomes a lot easier—and there’s no better way to help seniors in West Suburban Boston avoid falls than having a dedicated companion at their side.
If a senior you know could use a little help staying up and getting around, the compassionate caregivers at FirstLight Home Care of West Suburban Boston can help. They’ll stay with your loved one, ensuring they always have a strong, trusted hand to lean on, and they’ll help with many daily fall risks like getting dressed or using the bathroom. They can also help with many other areas of everyday life like cooking, transportation and even light housekeeping.
Want to learn more about your care options? Contact us today.