Safety Spotlight: The Biggest Trip & Fall Hazards for Seniors
Family Care articles are not a substitute for medical or legal advice from a licensed professional.
Falls are the number one cause of injury among adults 65 or older. One-third of seniors fall at least once per year. Of these falls, one in five cause serious injury—things like hip fractures, broken bones, or even death. The sad part of the story is that many falls are preventable, if you know what to watch for and what modifications to make in your home. This article details some of the biggest risks to seniors when it comes to trips and falls, and how to live a safer, fall-free life.
Changes to Physical Health
As we get older, our bodies change. Some changes, like muscular deterioration, are a part of life. Other drastic health changes can pose a sudden risk of falling. Health-related risks include:
Weakened muscles and bones. After the age of 30, we begin to lose muscle mass. By the end of his life, the average man will lose about 30% of their total muscle mass. This can make everyday tasks, like walking up the stairs, more taxing. It’s also common for seniors to develop weakened, more brittle bones, which makes the consequences of a fall more severe.
Luckily, there are things you can do to fight or reverse these changes. Exercise and daily activity are a good way to strengthen muscles, even as you get older. Calcium, vitamin D, and exercise are good ways to keep your bones healthy.
Balance changes. New medications can cause dizziness or nausea, which can make it hard to keep your balance. Some infections or medical conditions can also impair balance. Often, this is one of the first signs that there’s a problem, which means you may not have much warning that something is wrong before you experience a fall.
Eyesight deterioration. If you’re no longer seeing as well as you used to, you may not notice obstacles and tripping hazards. Your depth perception may also be impacted, which can cause difficulty when walking on stairs or uneven ground.
Recent surgery. Recovering from surgery can involve some long days of bed rest, which can weaken our muscles. When you’re back up and about, you may find it’s more exhausting to walk from room to room than it used to be. If there’s soreness or stiffness associated with your surgery, you may favor one leg over the other, or otherwise walk in a way that can pose greater risk.
In-Home Tripping Hazards
Poor lighting. If you can’t see where you’re going, the chances of tripping over something increase! Make sure all the lightbulbs in your house are working. If a room is still too dark, consider adding lamps or using a different kind of bulb in your existing fixtures.
You can also add night lights, particularly between the bedroom and bathroom. Sensors are available that turn the lights on automatically when you enter a room, so there’s no longer the need to fumble around for a light switch.
Household clutter. If your home is packed to the brim, spring cleaning might be in order! Remove area rugs, low furniture, and household clutter from your heavily trafficked areas. Create clear paths from room to room.
Lack of safety devices. Install grab bars and railings, particularly in bathrooms and on the stairs.
High-Risk Areas of the Home
The bathroom is one of the most common places for people to slip, especially when sitting down or standing up from the toilet, or when getting in and out of the shower. The floor in the bathroom is often smooth or wet, which is a dangerous combination. There are plenty of safety tools that can be used to improve bathroom safety, including things like grab bars, traction-improving shower shoes, and special tubs or showers designed for easy access.
The bedroom is also a risky place for seniors. Getting in and out of bed can be a challenge, particularly if your limbs are still “asleep” from a night’s rest. And unlike most chairs, a bed doesn’t have sturdy armrests to provide a boost up. A home healthcare clinician can help you or the people you live with learn safe transfer techniques, making it easier to get in and out of bed.
Emergency Response Time
For seniors, falling is only part of the problem. If you live alone, or are alone for long stretches of time, a fall can quickly turn into a very serious situation. It’s important that you get back on your feet quickly if you can, and receive timely medical attention if you need it.
Be able to call for help. This can be as simple as making sure your cell phone is charged and on your person throughout the day. Having landlines in multiple rooms of the house could also help you ensure you’ll be able to reach or crawl to a phone if you need it.
Our recent article on distance caregiving has a section on technology designed to keep seniors safe; particularly technology that can detect a fall and notify emergency services. Some of these devices allow you to call 9-1-1 and inform them that you need help; others will detect a fall, and then make the call automatically if you do not dismiss the alert.
Know what to do while you wait. Don’t try to get up right away. Take a few moments to recover from the surprise, and to assess your physical state. If you think you’ve been seriously injured, do not attempt to get up. Take deep breaths and try to remain calm.
While you’re on the ground, take note of any parts of your body that are in pain. Even if you can get up on your own, pain that sticks around after a fall is worth seeing a doctor for.
If you attempt to get up from a fall on your own, be sure to use the support of a sturdy piece of furniture. Physical therapists Bob & Brad have a great video showing ways to get up safely.
Falls are a major risk for seniors’ health, but the good news is that many of them are preventable. You can reduce your risk by making your environment safer, and knowing what to do in case of an emergency.