Whether you’re living with a disability or looking into home safety for seniors to protect a loved one, 101 Mobility knows how important fall prevention is. That’s why we’re here to share our top fall prevention tips for seniors, so you can reduce home fall risks and create a safer living environment for all.
September Is Fall Prevention Month: Take the First Step to a Safer Home
September is National Fall Prevention Month, making it the perfect time to focus on learning more about preventing falls at home. According to the CDC, falls are the leading cause of injury for adults ages 65 and older, with one in four older adults reporting a fall every year.
Accidents at home can be debilitating, especially for the elderly. And while a fall might seem like a minor mishap, it can lead to severe injuries, prolonged hospital stays, financial losses, and decreased confidence. But don’t panic—taking a few proactive measures can help you keep yourself and your loved ones protected. Read on to get fall prevention tips for seniors to include on your fall hazards home checklist.
Understanding What “Fall Risk” Means
When thinking about your own fall risk, you’ll first want to ensure you know exactly what “fall risk” means—and how to evaluate it. Fall risk commonly refers to the likelihood of you having a fall, and it is determined by a variety of factors. These factors can include your age, mobility, health challenges, medications, and the hazards present in your home.
Wondering where you or a loved one stands? Understanding your own risk is the first step toward effective fall prevention. Take a second to evaluate the situation, factoring in common contributors, and go from there. Get additional tips on home safety for seniors and caring for an elderly loved one at home.
Medications That Can Increase Fall Risk
When evaluating fall risk, you’ll want to pay close attention to any medications you or a loved one may be taking. There are many common medications that have side effects that can impair balance, vision, and alertness—making a fall more likely.
Here are a few common medication types that may increase your risk of a fall:
- Sedatives and Sleeping Pills: These can cause drowsiness and affect your coordination.
- Antidepressants and Anti-Anxiety Medications: These can impair your attention and your movement.
- Blood Pressure Medications: These can cause hypotension, lowering your blood pressure and making you lightheaded or dizzy.
- Diuretics (Water Pills): These may cause a sudden need to rush to the bathroom, making you less likely to practice caution.
- Painkillers: These can also impair your balance and coordination. Opioids can add an extra layer of risk as they may make you tired or less aware.
If you have concerns, it’s important to consult with a doctor or pharmacist to review all your medications and understand more about potential side effects. And if you are taking one of these medication types or dealing with side effects that increase your likelihood of a fall, don’t worry. It’s important to evaluate the big picture, and there are still measures you can take to keep yourself safe—no matter what health challenges you’re facing.
Situations That Can Increase Your Likelihood of Falling
When preventing falls at home, the number one thing you can do is practice caution, taking time to assess your surroundings and avoid being in a rush. However, life happens, and you may not always be on full alert. But by being aware of how specific events and behaviors can temporarily increase your fall risk, you can work to avoid these instances in the future.
Explore a few common scenarios that may make tripping more likely:
- Hurrying or Rushing: If you hear your phone ringing or have someone waiting at the door, you’re likely to be in a hurry—and be less careful.
- Carrying Heavy or Bulky objects: Whether you’re moving boxes or putting up your Christmas tree, it can be dangerous to carry objects that are awkward or obstruct your view.
- Sudden Changes in Position: Standing up too quickly can cause dizziness and disorientation.
- Walking in Unfamiliar Areas: If you’re in a new or dark environment, your vision (and confidence) may be affected.
- Feeling Unwell: You’re more likely to take a fall if you’re feeling sick, dizzy, or fatigued.
5 Actionable Strategies for Preventing Falls at Home
Ready to take action and learn how to stay safe? We’re sharing five fall prevention tips for seniors designed to decrease home fall risks. Check out our fall hazards home checklist below.
1. Secure Your Path: Eliminate Trip Hazards
The Problem
Day-to-day life often brings clutter, and there may be a few sneaky objects lingering around your home making it more likely for you to fall. Clutter comes in many forms, but may be especially hazardous when there are loose rugs, electrical cords, and other objects in pathways. Uneven thresholds can also cause a tripping hazard.
The Solution
An organized home is a safer home. It’s important to periodically declutter your home, ensuring pathways, hallways, and common areas are free from obstacles. You also may want to cut back on the amount of furniture pieces you have, and remove loose rugs, keeping paths clear in the process. Pathways should be at least 36 inches wide in order to improve accessibility and assist in preventing falls at home.
How 101 Mobility Can Help
101 Mobility is proud to offer and install a wide variety of mobility safety products designed to make your home a safer place. When navigating tripping hazards, you may want to consider home medical equipment, like one of our many wheelchair ramps. Threshold ramps in particular are ideal for eliminating tripping hazards at doorways and can make it easier to transition over thresholds.
2. Make Stairs a Friend, Not a Foe
The Problem
Staircases can be one of the most dangerous areas in your home and are often associated with falls. However, there are steps you can take to make your staircase safer, and these are particularly important when it comes to home safety for seniors.
The Solution
Is your staircase missing a handrail or does it only have one? You may want to consider installing a secure handrail on both sides of your staircase for added stability, as this can go a long way when it comes to preventing falls at home. You can also opt for one of our handy and versatile grab bars for home for an extra layer of stability.
How 101 Mobility Can Help
If a handrail simply isn’t cutting it and you find that you or a loved one continues to struggle up the stairs, a more permanent fix may be required—and we have the life-changing mobility safety products to get the job done. Stairlifts are the ultimate safety solutions for stairs, providing an effortless way to navigate multiple floors without struggle and without falling. These amazing tools can be customized to fit your needs and home. We offer a wide range of options, including straight, curved, and outdoor stairlifts, all designed to improve stair access and keep you safe. You can even rent a stairlift from us if you only have a temporary need.
Interested in learning more? Get insights on the top reasons to install a stairlift. You may also want to consider a home elevator or a vertical platform lift as a step to preventing falls at home.
3. Rethink Your Bathroom for Maximum Safety
The Problem
When creating your fall hazards home checklist, you can’t forget the bathroom. The bathroom is also a place where falls commonly occur, and it can present many obstacles that may not be noticeable at first. Slippery floors, low toilets, and a lack of handholds for support can all contribute to home fall risks and be a big issue when it comes to bathroom safety for seniors. There may also be unchecked clutter in the area, like cords, hair products, towel racks, and more.
The Solution
When improving home safety for seniors, you’ll want to try non-slip mats, consider a raised toilet seat or commode, place a bench in the shower, and be sure to keep your bathroom floors clear at all times, checking for puddles, loose towels, and other objects that may cause an unsafe situation.
How 101 Mobility Can Help
At 101 Mobility, we believe everyone deserves to feel safe in the bathroom, and we specialize in products perfect for making this space less of a tripping hazard. Our grab bars for home are also ideal bathroom mobility safety products, as they can be placed almost anywhere around the room for extra support. They especially come in handy in the bathtub or shower, but can also be placed around toilets or on walls. Learn more about grab bar benefits.
We also offer and install additional bath safety products, including SuperPoles and bath chairs, and can provide whole-bathroom renovations. Reach out today or learn more about improving bathroom safety for your elderly loved ones.
4. Brighten Up Your Home to Spot Hazards
The Problem
Poor lighting can impair your version, making it more difficult to see tripping hazards and reducing your ability to navigate the home safely.
The Solution
One of the best fall prevention tips for seniors you should keep in mind? Check the rooms in your home and assess the lighting in each of them. Notice a problem? Install brighter light bulbs in darker areas to keep your home well-lit—and yourself protected. Place light switches at the top and bottom of your stairs and within your bed’s reach to reduce risk. You may also want to consider using motion-activated nightlights in hallways and bathrooms.
How 101 Mobility Can Help
Once you’ve brightened the pathways in your home, you may notice a few other obstacles. If you’re struggling to open heavy doors, we also offer automatic door openers that can help you unlock, unlatch, and hold doors open, reducing struggle and strain—and home fall risks in the process.
5. Get a Professional Home Safety Assessment
The Problem
The first step to preventing falls at home is recognizing your safety issues. You’ll also want to conduct a home accessibility assessment to learn more about your own risks and needs. However, it can be easy to overlook hazards in your own home and an outside perspective can often make all the difference.
The Solution
A professional home accessibility assessment can help ensure you’re getting the full picture when it comes to your home fall risks, and that you can take the steps you need to create a safer tomorrow. This can go a long way when it comes to improving home safety for seniors who live there—and even those who visit.
How 101 Mobility Can Help
You aren’t on this journey alone and we’re here to help in any way we can. That’s why we proudly offer free in-home consultations where our trained and experienced experts can help you identify home fall risks, locate hidden hazards, assess your unique needs, and more to find the mobility safety products right for you and your home. You can always count on us for support and professional installation. Also be sure to explore our room-by-room fall hazards home checklist for more info.
The 101 Mobility Difference
Your home should be your comfort zone and tripping hazards shouldn’t get in the way of your safety or the safety of someone you love. By being proactive, using this fall hazards home checklist, and preventing falls at home, you’re investing in your independence and improving your quality of life. Whether you’re a caregiver searching for fall prevention tips for seniors or taking steps to secure your own safety, we’re here to help and support you at every step when creating a safe home environment.
Get tips on what to do if an elderly loved one does fall, reach out to us for help, get started with a consultation, explore our wide range of mobility solutions perfect for improving your home’s accessibility, and learn more about the 101 Mobility difference. Don’t let a fall put your life on hold. Use National Fall Prevention Month as your motivation and schedule your free in-home consultation today to get started on your fall prevention plan.
