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Trip and Fall Risks to Elderly and How to Reduce Them

Every year there many seniors suffer from trips and falls. What’s even worse is that, of those who fall, less than 50% of them will talk about it. This is very sad as falls and resulting hip fractures cause different injuries in seniors and many of those injuries can prove fatal.

It’s not just hip injuries, but there are cuts, fractures and traumatic brain injuries that may cause permanently damaging mental conditions like dementia. Some seniors get so afraid of certain activities because they may develop a fear of falling.

Trip Hazards in the House for the Elderly

There are many trip hazards in the house. They could be anything from a slippery floor, a shaky flight of stairs, naked or protected electrical wires, cords and cables. It’s no surprise that many of these hazards can be found in the home where you think you are safe.

This is why you have to be very careful of falls and start creating a home you can call safe. It all starts with the small things. You don’t have to aim for a complete tear down and then remodel. There are some small things that you can do to make your home safer for seniors living there.

Removing Any Trip Hazards

There are some household fixtures, commonly found in kitchens and bathrooms that can be the reason for a fall. One can suffer from back pain and injuries that lead to back pain if they fall. It can be even worse if that someone is a senior.

Carry out a brief examination of the bathrooms, hallways, kitchen and other areas of the house. Keep an eye out for slippery rugs, floorboards and loose carpets. Repair these things and tape them up. TripSafe.com.au can help you out with that, too. Prevent your beloved seniors from falling by doing your part.

Be Clutter-Free

Speaking of doing your part, you can start with spring cleaning and some tidying up, as well. It requires relatively little effort and makes your house free of any potential trip hazards. The stacks of old newspapers, antiques, out of place rugs, books, broken furniture and wood blocks lying around can become a serious hazard if you don’t clean it up.

So, do your part in cleaning up the house to make it safer for seniors as well as yourself.

Handrails and Grab Bars

If you know that your spirited seniors are free spirited, but don’t have the energy for it, it may prove to be a problem. If they can’t walk without support, then that’s what you need. Luckily, grab bars and hand rails, that are sturdily built, will solve this problem. Whether it’s a flight of stairs, a slippery bathroom or kitchen or even a hallway, installing this type of safety equipment can allow seniors the safety they need.

They can come down the stairs slowly and with support, get in and out of the bathtub, or even catch themselves if no one’s around when they’re about to fall. This is something really positive.

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