We’ve all taken a tumble at some point or another. For youngsters, slipping and falling isn’t usually a big deal. Scrapes and cuts are the general outcomes. Of course, those are the best case scenarios. As we get older, the prospects become a lot more grim. As the Government of Canada informs us on Canada.ca, falls are the leading cause of injury among older Canadians. So, for those who live with their elderly loved ones, it’s important to do everything possible to prevent falls.
Preventing falls starts with eliminating tripping hazards.
Are there wires jutting out from behind your electronic devices? Do you have throw rugs in your living areas? These are just a couple of the most common tripping hazards found in the home. Throw rugs, in fact, are considered one of the most dangerous items in our homes. On LiveScience.com, Dr. Kaycee Sink highlights the dangers they present.
“Throw rugs can actually be worse than stairs in terms of danger,” she writes, “People are more likely to be cautious going up and down stairs, and there’s a hand rail. With a throw rug, you’re walking quickly to get the phone, or you’re up at night to go to the bathroom in the dark and whoops, you’ve caught your toe on the corner and you go down.”
Better health gives us better stability.
Believe it or not, tripping hazards aren’t just the physical debris found on our walking surfaces. Another culprit of slips and falls is dizziness. This is why it’s so important to help the elderly loved ones in your life to maintain proper nutrition, exercise and the taking of prescribed medications for their physical ailments.
Alberta Health Services reveals that managing blood pressure is one of the top ways to prevent falls before they happen. To prevent the lightheadedness and dizziness that comes with sudden drops in blood pressure, they recommend eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables and drinking a lot of water. Alberta Health Services also warns seniors to perform even the simplest of tasks slowly.
“Sometimes a drop in your blood pressure can happen when you get up from a lying or sitting position,” they inform, “This is called postural hypotension. Be careful and change your position slowly. If you have been lying down, sit for a few minutes. Stand up slowly and give your body time to adjust. Then slowly begin moving.”
We can help to virtually eliminate slips and falls!
At Advantage Home Health Solutions, we are well aware that even with the removal of as many tripping hazards as possible, falls may still occur for seniors who have significant mobility issues. This is especially true for those who attempt to climb the stairs without assistance. If you live with an elderly loved one who may be prone to slips and falls, we highly recommend the installation of a stair lift.
Sometimes called a stair chair or a chair lift, a stair lift makes it safe and easy for those with mobility issues to access multiple floors of your home. For more information about the high-quality stair lifts offered by Advantage Home Health Solutions, please don’t hesitate to give us a call at 403-460-5438. You may also email us by filling out the form on our Contact page!
