Household Accident
Falls: the most common injury among seniors
Accidents happen. No matter how careful you are, accidents can still happen anytime and anywhere. While insurance plans for seniors will reimburse your medical fees and help you feel more confident, preventing accidents before they can happen is always better. Seniors and accidents almost come hand in hand, especially when it comes to household accidents. In fact, statistics say that those aged between 65-74 years old are most prone to slipping and falling.
As we all know, seniors are much less active and flexible. Their nervous systems and responses are slower, while balance, hearing, and sight are reduced and their bones more fragile. So when an accident does happen, the consequences are much more severe, such as fractured bones and bruises that take a longer time to heal than normal. Therefore, prevention is the best course of action; your seniors can stay accident free with following these tips.
- Wear shoes that are the right size. Install anti-slippage mats. Avoid walking around with socks
- Keep electrical cords and other items in order and away from the floor
- Unnecessary door thresholds should either be removed or painted so that they can easily be spotted
- Avoid laying slippery materials on all floors
- Be sure that mats and rugs are not slippery or not too thick (and therefore easily to trip on)
- Walkways and stairwells should be well lit. Light switches should be easily accessible, such as at the bottom and top of each stairwell and next to the door in each room
- Edges of stairs should be covered with nosing or trim, using contrasting colors for visibility
- Don’t leave objects lying around stairs. Take care that animals stay away from the stairs as they can be accidentally stepped on and can cause a fall
- When going up and down stairs, avoid carrying objects with both hands. Use at least one hand to hold on to the railing when descending
- Install an anti-slippage mat on the shower/tub floor or a handrail on the wall to help with balance
- The shower should be separate from the toilet so that the floor does not remain wet, which could easily cause a slip and fall. If not, the floor has to be dried after every shower
- When showering, keep the door unlocked. If an accident occurs, help can reach you more easily
If a slip or fall does occur, keep calm and inspect your body for any changes. Try to move different parts of the body. If the motion is unusual and there is pain, seek medical attention immediately for diagnosis and further treatment.