About 36 million falls in older adults every year have been reported in the United States causing about 32,000 deaths. Falls have become a public health concern. As such, there needs to be proper fall prevention exercises that will protect your loved ones. The injuries sustained by these falls can have a huge physical, mental and financial impact on you and your loved ones. Usually, loved ones that have fallen before will suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) which causes them to have a constant fear of falling down again. This will discourage your loved ones from moving around which can lead to isolation. Isolation can cause your loved ones to feel anxiety and depression. In Watsonville, TX independent retirement living, they have put in place fall prevention protocols to reduce the number of falls. Some reasons why older adults fall is due to their depleting eyesight and hearing. Due to their poor eyesight and hearing, it weakens their equilibrium, causing them to lose their balance more easily. When older adults become less active, their mobility is compromised which increases their fall risks. As such, here are some tips to prevent falls in Watsonville, TX independent retirement living!
Having Adequate Lighting
Having good lighting is so important in a retirement community. As we grow older, our eyes will start to degenerate causing conditions like glaucoma or cataract. Many of the older adults have poor vision which can cause them to miss their step or slip on something they could not see on the ground. As such, in Watsonville, TX independent retirement living, the common areas like the hallways and the staircases are always well lit. This is one of the best ways to ensure the safety of your loved ones.
Installing Assistive Devices Throughout Living Spaces
Assistive devices are extremely important in a retirement community. This will help to mitigate health and safety risks that they may face without compromising their independence. Your loved ones can continue to live on their own in the retirement community without being anxious about falling down. If your loved ones feel insecure to walk because of previous falls they had before, these assistive devices can help them regain their confidence again. Some of these assistive devices could be like wheelchair ramps, metal handlebars and staircase lift chairs. All these mobility devices have proven to have helped to prevent falls in many older adults. It is unlikely that your loved ones would fall while holding onto the handrails. As such, every retirement community should have these assistive devices in the living spaces of older adults.
Ensure the Living Space is Completely Hazard Free
To ensure a safe environment for older adults, it is important to declutter the living spaces in the retirement communities. The team in the retirement community would need to remove items that are not being used in a way to enhance the safety of the environment. Maintaining a clean and tidy living space through minimizing the number of items in a room can prevent the space from getting messy. Messy rooms can serve as a huge health and safety risk for your loved ones.
