Every second of every day an older adult falls in the United States. Falls are the number one cause of injury and death from injury among older Americans. Injuries and deaths from Falls are preventable with the right home modifications and equipment. In this blog post, we will discuss the home modifications and equipment that can help keep you or your loved ones safe.
The sad truth is that 1 in 4 people age 65 and older will suffer a fall-related injury. Every 11 seconds an older adult is seen in the ER for a fall-related injury.
As people get older, their balance, flexibility, and coordination begins to change. This leads to an increase in the chances that one will fall or trip over something. Despite what people believe, falling is not a natural part of aging and it can be prevented with the right preparation. It’s much harder to recover from an injury than to prevent one in the first place.
LiveWell has a full-line of products and can provide home modifications that can help to prevent a fall. Our Accessibility Consultants can walk with you through your home and show you what areas need to be changed for your safety. Here are some of the common things that we recommend:
- Declutter your home – Get rid of any unwanted items that are sitting in the way taking up space. This can create tripping hazards. It can also make it difficult for help to get through your home in the event that it’s needed.
- Bathroom modifications – The bathroom is a space that requires someone to bend, reach and lift their feet. This can cause one to lose their balance and fall. Adding a zero-entry shower completely removes the threshold that requires you to lift your feet and step over into the shower. Not only does this make the shower safer to enter and exit, it’s also a beautiful, stylish feature in your bathroom. Grab bars and raised toilet seats are also a very important addition. This gives extra support in the areas where you need it most. Raised toilet seats also make it easier to crouch and stand. This also reduces the risk of falling.
- Stairlifts – A stairlift is a device that allows you to sit safely on a chair that travels up the stairs on a rail. This completely removes the risk of falling on the stairs, which is very dangerous. 60% of accident-related deaths amongst the elderly are due to falls involving steps or stairs. LiveWell has a wide variety of stairlifts that will fit any staircase, inside and outside.
- Ramps – adding a ramp at the entrance and exit of your home can remove tripping hazards. It also makes it easier for canes, walkers, wheelchairs or power scooters to enter the home.
LiveWell’s team of experts are ready to talk with you about your plans and your specific needs. Give us a call today to schedule a free in-home assessment with one of our Accessibility Consultants.
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