Falls Prevention is key to maintaining a Forever Home. There are steps that can be taken to ensure falls prevention, some involve the individual’s health habits and some the living environment. Health habits include correct hydration, nutrition and strength. They also include polypharmacy, improperly managed medication can lead to balance issues, confusion, weakness and ultimately to falls.
Assessing a physical living environment seems to be a simple matter, however a thorough check should be done with experienced eyes. From front door to bathroom, each step needs to be considered with safety in mind. Work done on a home should be done by certified aging builders. For example, grab bars are critical to safety in the bathroom, but poorly installed or incorrectly placed grab bars can contribute to falls. And a safe home does not need to appear “clinical” designers are focusing on creating safe homes that are aesthetically pleasing.
It is difficult to see the vulnerabilities in our own situation, whether our health habits or our physical environment, but creating a Forever Home is achievable with the assistance of professionals who understand the multidimensional issue of falls prevention.
Contact McKenney Home Care for a full Falls Prevention Assessment .
Forever Home
12
Aug