Things You Can Do to Prevent Falls
This year, 1 in 3 seniors over the age of 65 will fall. Some falls are minor, with only scrapes or bruises. Other falls can be very serious leaving you unable to take care of yourself. Bone fractures, especially of the hip, can lead to pneumonia, blood clots and even death. Bumps on the head can lead to stroke, brain injury or death.
Why People Fall
Some common reasons why people fall:
- don’t see well
- don’t hear well
- their medicines have side effects that give them blurry vision or make them dizzy
- poor balance
- frail
- slow reflexes that cause them to react slowly
- poor concentration
- weak muscles
- diseases that cause numbness in the feet
Things around the house that could cause you to fall
- slippery floors or wet floors such as in the kitchen or bath
- uneven surfaces, like going from carpet to tile
- electrical cords
- areas with poor lighting
- pets in your path or that jump up on you
- clutter on the floor
- throw rugs that slip and slide
Preventing falls around the house
To keep from falling around the house, look for things —like the list above—that might cause you to fall and then remove or correct the problem. If your medicine is causing problems, ask your doctor if there is a different medicine you could take, or if you can take it at night when you are less likely to be up and walking around. If you have problems with pain in your feet, tell your doctor—you might have nerve damage.
Some things you can do to prevent falls:
- Make sure stairs and entryways are well lit and have your eyes checked every year. Keep eyeglass or contact lens prescriptions up to date.
- Install handrails in areas that you might fall such as along stairs or steps, in the shower or tub.
- Install non-skid strips in the floor of the shower or tub.
- Use a shower seat when you take a shower.
- Start an exercise program that will strengthen your muscles and improve your balance.
- Arrange your furniture so you can walk around easily. Give yourself some room between chairs, foot stools, and tables.
- Replace chairs that don’t have arms with chairs that do have arms so you can push yourself up by holding onto the chair arms.
- Make sure all of your furniture is steady and not shaky when you hold onto it for support.
- If your symptoms are severe, unusual, or persistent, call your healthcare provider for advice.
Watch where you’re going! Look for clutter, wet spots or uneven areas on the floor. Watch out for pets, kids, shoes, magazines, toys, and electrical wires — anything that might cause you to fall.
