Fall Protection for Elderly People

Falling is a leading cause of injury for people age 65 and older. But it doesn’t have to be.

Help your elderly loved ones understand the real risk of falls and discover how they can prevent them. A healthy diet, regular exercise and reducing the risks of medications that affect balance, vision or foot pain all can reduce the risk.

1. Stair Safety

Falling is one of the most serious health risks for seniors. They can cause injuries such as hip fractures, head trauma and even death. The good news is that many falls can be prevented with simple steps. It’s important to understand your loved ones’ risk factors for falling so you can focus on fall prevention strategies that will be most beneficial to them. For example, if they have balance issues then a focus on exercises such as tai chi could be more effective than a general recommendation to exercise more.

Stairs are one of the most common areas where a senior may suffer a fall. They can become slippery from cleaning products or ice, or they can be difficult to navigate if they are lined with carpeting that makes it hard to distinguish the platform of each step from the treads. Adding nonslip strips on the stairs is an inexpensive, easy-to-install solution that can greatly improve safety for older adults.

For a more permanent and high-tech solution, an electric stair lift is the safest option for most stairways. These can be installed on straight, curved or multi-level stairways and are available in many colors, sizes and brands. Other home safety features that are worth considering include a grab bar in the bathroom and a medical alert system that enables your elderly loved one to push a button on a pendant to call for help in the event of a fall.

2. Grab Bars

Grab bars may seem like subtle additions to your bathroom, but they’re powerful tools that help seniors maintain their independence and safety in their own homes. Grab bars are secure rails, typically placed around showers, toilets, sinks, and other essential facilities that might challenge individuals with limited mobility or balance. They can be fixed or adjustable and come in various sizes, capacities, and styles, from simple handles to full-length protruding supports.

The most common place where seniors fall is in the bathroom, but they also tend to be injured by falling down stairs or getting out of bed in the morning. Having something to hold onto in these situations reduces the risk of injury significantly.

While many people don’t think of grab bars as an important part of home safety, they’re actually one of the most effective and affordable tools available to prevent slips and falls in the elderly. Even younger people can benefit from having something to hold on to when they need to stand up, move around, or climb stairs. Survey results indicate that the vast majority of respondents would accept a grab bar in their own bathrooms and wouldn’t object to policies that make them mandatory in new construction or renovations. This research is significant because it provides insight into attitudes toward voluntary versus mandatory grab bar inclusion.

3. Reachers

Reachers, also known as grabber tools, are versatile pieces of equipment that help you pick up items that are out of reach. They work like a bionic or extended arm and are useful for people with weaker muscles or those who find it difficult to bend or stretch. They are especially useful for elderly people and those who have joint or bone pain, weakness or arthritis.





The 'trigger' end of these aids is squeezed to open and close the 'jaws' of the device, which helps you grab things that are difficult or impossible to get by hand. They are available in various lengths, and some feature a magnetic tip for picking up small metal objects such as nails or safety pins. The grip of these tools is designed to be comfortable for your hands, and most are padded.

Throughout the Days Gone game, you will encounter many different types of Freakers. One of the most dangerous is a mutant called the Reacher, which is solitary and always travels alone. They are fast, and can attack multiple times with a single stab. You can kill them using a melee weapon or a powerful stun gun, such as the Superior Metal Axe or IPCA Stun Gun.

Elderly people who experience weakened strength and reduced mobility often find daily tasks challenging, such as reaching the top shelf of a cupboard or finding a lost item underneath the sofa. Thankfully, there are easy solutions to this problem.

4. Safety Lights

Elderly residents in nursing homes should be regularly evaluated for fall risk. This is important because even one fall can cause serious injuries, and it can also signal the start of a dangerous pattern. Ask the management of any nursing homes you know about their fall prevention program. Find out if they have a system that alerts family members or 911 after a senior falls. Monitored systems require a monthly fee but unmonitored fall-detection emergency systems like the LogicMark Freedom Alert can connect loved ones with preprogrammed contacts after the senior presses a button on a wearable pendant.

Safety lights can help reduce falls in elderly people by illuminating potential hazards such as stairs, steps, landings and wood floorboards that stick up. These can be hard to see in the dark. You can even get a battery-powered light with motion sensors that automatically turns on at night. These lights can also be set up to turn on a wall switch in the event that a senior tries to reach a lamp in the dark and doesn’t succeed.

Falls can be frightening for elderly people, and they are a leading cause of hip fractures and head injury. Fall-related fear leads many seniors to avoid movement, which can result in a loss of muscle strength and a diminished quality of life. If you know a senior who has fallen, be sure to encourage them to seek medical attention after a fall and make sure they follow their doctor’s recommendations for preventing future falls. Medical Alert