At Pleasant Escape we take precautions to try and prevent senior falls. The truth is, falls happen. If your senior loved one is living at home, here are 4 steps you can take to limit the risk of falls in the home.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), millions of seniors fall each year. In fact, the organization found that 1 out of 4 older people fall each year, and over 800,000 seniors are hospitalized each year from fall-related injuries. Taking preventive action to reduce the risk of falls is crucial for the safety of your senior loved one. Falls often lead to other health declines so doing all you can to prevent them is key. At Pleasant Escape we take falls seriously, and care about the health of each of our senior residents. Here are 4 ways to reduce the risk of falls in your loved one's home.

Eliminate Clutter and Create Clear Paths

One of the easiest ways to reduce the risk of falls in your senior loved ones living space is eliminating clutter and creating clear walking paths. If your loved one has excess stuff that could lead to a fall, use cleanup as an opportunity to bond with your senior loved one and keep them involved when removing or reorganizing personal belongings. 60% of falls happen in the home, decluttering is an easy, cost-effective, way to reduce the risk. If your senior loved one is unable to maintain their home or keep paths clear of clutter, it may be time to consider a senior living community, such as Pleasant Escape.

Stay Active and Engaged

Seniors who are active have a reduced risk of falls because physical exercise leads to stronger legs, increased flexibility, and improved balance. Before promoting exercise to your senior loved one, it is always best to consult a doctor. You will want to make sure that your loved one can safely engage in physical exercise without increasing the risk of danger. In some cases, the wrong exercise can lead to a great risk of falls. At Pleasant Escape, we believe that engagement is a great way to keep seniors active. In order to keep seniors in our senior living community engaged and active, we play games, encourage residents and staff to be social, and hold community events, often.

Have Vision and Hearing Checked Regularly

According to the US National Library on Medicine (PMC), there is a strong relationship between visual motion perception and balance control. Because of this, it is important to have your senior loved one's vision and hearing checked on a regular basis. Both vision and hearing loss can increase the risk of falls.

Invest in Proper Footwear

Small things, like proper footwear, can combat the risk of a fall. Seniors should wear shoes that are non-skid, rubber-soled, low-heeled, and provide the necessary support to assist with balance. If you are looking for the best shoes for seniors, here is a list of recommended footwear to aid in preventing falls.

Takeaways

Unfortunately, there is no way to fully prevent the risk of falls. That said, there are things that you can do to limit the risk of your senior loved one taking a fall. These preventative steps include eliminating clutter and creating clear paths in your loved one's home, making sure that your loved one remains active and engaged, having vision and hearing checked often, and investing in the proper footwear and balance support, such as walkers.

If you are concerned that your senior loved one is at a heightened risk of a fall, or they have had a fall in the past, it may be time to consider a senior living community, such as Pleasant Escape. At Pleasant Escape, the safety of our residents is of utmost importance. Call us today to learn more about our community and the precautions we take.