Here at Alpine Home Medical, we’re observing Fall Prevention Month by focusing on how you can reduce your risk of suffering a fall in your bedroom or bathroom.
Each year over 36 million older adults experience at least one fall, and one in five falls causes serious injury or death. While these statistics are grim, the good news is that there are some simple, affordable things you can do to cut your fall risks in your home.
Reducing the Risk of Falls in the Bathroom
The bathroom is often the smallest, and most dangerous, room in your home. Factors such as poor lighting, slick hard surfaces and a lack of safety equipment all increase the fall risk while using your bathroom. Add to that any mobility issues that you might have, such as difficulty getting in and out of the tub, or standing up from the toilet, and it’s easy to see why bathroom safety devices are so important.
Here are some of the things you can do to make your bathroom safer:
- Activate the bathroom fan when bathing or showering to reduce moisture build-up on the floor
- Install one or more grab bars or a SuperPole with SuperBar next to the shower stall or tub, and place multiple grab bars inside the bathtub enclosure
- Use a shower seat instead of standing to shower
- Make getting on and off the toilet easier with an elevated toilet seat or a powered incline lift toilet seat
You’ll also want to ensure that there’s plenty of light in your bathroom, and that the floor is covered with a non-slip material. Don’t bathe or shower while you’re home alone and ask for assistance if you’re uneasy about falling in the bathroom.
Reducing Fall Risks in the Bedroom
The bedroom can also be filled with fall hazards, and that’s especially true if you experience dizziness when rising from a seated or prone position.
Here’s how you can reduce the risk of falling in your bedroom:
- Remove any throw rugs, as these are easy to trip on
- Replace high-pile carpeting with low-pile carpets or slip-resistant flooring
- Add under-bed motion activated lights so you can see the floor when getting in and out of bed
- Use bed rails or a SuperPole to make transferring and rolling over in bed easier
- Consider replacing your existing bed with a height-adjustable bed
Be sure to keep your bedroom tidy and free of clutter that you could trip on. If you’re a pet owner, always check to see where your animals are before getting out of bed, as it’s common for people to trip and fall over their pets.
You should always keep a phone handy at your bedside, or better yet, invest in a wearable medical alert device.
For more tips on preventing falls in your home, contact us here! We rent and sell a wide range of quality mobility devices and safety equipment including ramps, walkers, hospital beds and more.
