Thousands of elderly people are seriously injured each year because of an accident that happened in their own homes, usually the accident occurred while performing simple, everyday tasks. Most of these injuries are a result of slipping and falling. So, how can some of these accidents be prevented? Here are a couple of simple things that can be done to help prevent your elderly loved one from tripping and falling in their home.
Take a look around the entire home and think about how difficult it will be for a person with limited mobility to maneuver around. Think about areas that could easily become tripping hazards. One example of this is electrical cords or wires stretching across a walk-through area. Depending on the appliance attached to the cord, it might also be a fire hazard if it is knocked over. An option might be to arrange the furniture differently so that no electrical cords have to extend very far. When doing this, why not use this time to check the condition of these wires and cords and make sure they are not too old, fraying or have exposed wires. This too presents a fire risk.
Another, very common, tripping hazard is carpeting and rugs. Older ones often enjoy the comfort of carpet in their homes but if it is starting to wear out and the carpets adhesive is causing it to loosen, or it has started to come up where it is joined together, it could be lethal. Rugs are another potentially lethal trip over danger. If there has to be rugs in the home, make sure they have a good rubber backing to them so that they cannot move easily.
This is just a few of the many steps that can be taken in an elderly person’s home towards accident prevention.
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