3 Ways to Prevent Your Loved One from Falling
3 Ways to Prevent Your Loved One from Falling
Fall Prevention Awareness Day is also the first day of fall. Coincidence? I think not!
In most cases, fall prevention is possible. Lets do everything we can to keep seniors safe and keep
More than one in four people over 65 will fall each year! With more than 50 million seniors living in the United States, that means over 12 million seniors will fall this year. According to the CDC, more than half of those seniors will not tell anyone they fell. With that said, 25 percent of older adults who fall will be treated in the emergency room. With medical costs continuing to rise, we need to do all we can to keep our loved one safe and educate caregivers on fall prevention measures. Together we can help reduce the amount of injuries to seniors, especially ones that are preventable.
Here are 3 falls prevention tips:
Talk to Their Doctor or Pharmacist: Understand if the combination of medications they are on might cause them to be unsteady on their feet. If so, see what they can do to alter the medications so your loved ones are not as off-balance.
Home Hazards: Do your loved ones have throw-rugs or clutter in walkways? Those items should be removed and the home should be clutter-free. Although throw rugs may be a “favorite gift” from someone or even help to keep your feet warm on a cold surface, they are easy to trip over and can create a fall. Toss all throw-rugs (or hang them on a wall). Go 
through the house and make sure living areas are clutter-free. Keep what is important and store it so it is out of the way. Instead of throw rugs throughout their house, make sure your loved ones have house shoes (or regular shoes that they wear in the house) with non-skid soles so their feet stay warm and safe, so they can get around more easily.
Fall prevention
Install Hand Rails: At least one handrail should be installed in long hallways and in the shower to make sure the home is as safe as possible. There should already be handrails going up and down stairs. This will provide more support for your loved ones as they walk back and forth in their house. If they feel off-balance, it is easy for them to grab the railing to steady themselves.
This is their home away from home.
Our Members are provided with a fun, SAFE environment so they feel like this is their home away from home. We maintain a clutter free environment as they move around our facility and there is always someone available if they need help. We want them to be more comfortable and safe here, even more than they are in their own home!
To learn more about how Naperville Senior Center can provide you some respite and a great social environment for your loved one, contact us at 630.857.3017. You can also schedule a tour to see what we have to offer and understand the Naperville Senior Center experience, “Home Away From Home.”
Fall Prevention, Safe, Clutter-Free
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Do you eat as many vegetables in the winter as you do in the summer? Fresh vegetables tend to cost more when they are out of season – and a lot of them are out of season this time of the year. With winter upon us, we ask the question, “Are frozen foods good for you?” Specifically, are frozen vegetables good for you? There are many opinions about different types of vegetables, such as organic fresh, regular fresh, canned, frozen, etc. How do you know what to choose?
In 2015 there were 47.8 million senior citizens (65 and above) living in the United States.
Help with cutting the grass, landscaping or shoveling snow. Is there a senior neighbor on your block that uses an old push mower? Or does their grass always seem to be high? Why not take your mower down there and cut it for them. Do the landscape beds need to be weeded or bushes trimmed? Lend a hand and do it for them. When you see snow pile up on their stoop, walkway or driveway, shovel it for them. Ask a neighbor or two to join you and get the job done even faster. It’s only an hour or two out of your day and your senior neighbor will be very grateful.
, raise kids or do something to make the community a better place? Why not say ‘thank you’ to them, just to make them feel like they are still appreciated. Bring a pretty bunch of flowers to brighten their day. Or make a hot meal for them. ‘Thank you’ is so easy to say and it costs very little. Try it out, you might just feel good too!
A Sense of Purpose. One of the things that older people miss the most once they retire or become ill is a sense of purpose. They need a reason to get up in the morning! Spending day after day at home alone waiting for family or friends to come by can be isolating. Your loved one could be at risk of developing depression. Enrolling them in senior day care can restore a sense of purpose to their lives and give them a reason to be excited about getting up every day.
Mental Stimulation. Seniors need mental stimulation and often they don’t get enough. Activities, crafts, trips, and just being around other people can help your loved ones exercise their mental muscles. This helps them stay sharp and alert for longer periods of time. Studies have shown that seniors who don’t receive enough social interaction lose their mental faculties at a much faster rate than seniors who have strong social ties and get out of the house for activities and social occasions on a regular basis.
In fact, the real story of the NCAA Tournament has been Sister Jean, the Loyola Ramblers’ 89-year-old chaplain. She is with them before, during and after each game. The team members greet her, look for her words of encouragement and show her great respect. I’m not saying that other teams wouldn’t show an elderly woman some respect, but it is how the players on this team interact with her that is so wonderful to see.
I have faith in my wife.
As you color eggs with your children, take out the good china, and celebrate Easter with your family remember why we celebrate. Our God is an awesome God. And remember to say a little prayer for the Loyola Chicago Ramblers; Sister Jean could use all the help she can get!
Before all the presents are opened and the food is gone, remember to do some good for others as He would have done: