Tips To prevent Slips, Trips and Falls For The Elderly

As we get older, the prospect of falling over can be greatly increased. Whether you’re recovering from an illness or generally find your muscles feeling weak on a regular basis, this can be a major issue for people as they move around each day. Falling over has the potential to cause severe bodily harm, and may even affect your well-being in the process. We have therefore put together some very simple steps you can take in order to help prevent such problems coming about in the future. 

Exercise Regularly 

Keeping up regular exercise means you can keep working those muscles. Building your core strength gives you the capacity to retain suitable balance, even when you may be developing some form of fatigue. You could join local gyms for more specialist classes, but even very basic exercise like walking up and down your stairs can be hugely beneficial. Remaining static for long periods will mean instances where falls could take place are something of a rarity, so you won’t be particularly adept with important counter measures. 

Keep Rooms Clean & Tidy 

Falls, trips and slips are typically caused when things get in the way. Across the home, rooms can easily become cluttered with all sorts of everyday items, so make sure they’re put away! Any flooring should be given the most focus, as this could be filled with slippery substances which make the prospect of falling over that much greater. Keep floors dry and without obstruction, this way you can navigate the home with more proficiency and without the fear of falling over. 

Stairlifts 

Among the many danger zones for falling, none really come closer than stairs. Here, you are tasked with moving between two different levels within a building, and this creates a significant amount of height between yourself and the ground. Conditions like Parkinson’s make bodily movements difficult, so grabbing hold of railing may be considered ineffective. This is where you should maybe consider stairlifts, giving you a purpose made solution for navigating stairs, with safety, comfort and ease of access in sure supply. 

Look After Your Eyes 

Only with healthy eyes can we see clearly what’s in front of us, and this is especially important when trying to avoid falling over. Even if you can’t detect any problems, it’s recommended you get your eyes tested at least once every two years as many conditions aren’t easily detectable without specialist equipment. Some of the simple ways to ensure your eyes remain healthy would be monitoring the amount of time spent staring at screens and wearing sunglasses when we experience bright weather. 

Move Methodically 

Don’t ever get up quickly as this could easily lead to a complete loss of balance. Slow and steady often wins the race, and if you’re not in any sort of rush, you shouldn’t really feel any need to move around frantically. Taking those extra moments to think about how best to navigate rooms could make a huge difference, as preparedness will put you in a better position to think proactively about where potential falls could happen.