26 Jul Making Your Home “Fall-Proof”

“Getting around your home safely can be a challenge if you have injuries or health problems that make it easy for you to fall. Common things like loose rugs, poor lighting, and household clutter can become a big safety issue. But there are easy things you can do to make your home a lot safer.”

What hazards at home might make you more likely to fall?

If you have problems with balance or walking or have poor eyesight, take some time to look around your home and check for things that might make you more likely to fall. Some common hazards in the home include:
• Clutter where you walk
• Electrical cords
• Furniture or other sharp-edged items in the normal pathways through your house
• Poor lighting
• Raised doorway thresholds
• Slippery floors
• Steps and stairways
• Throw rugs

Why is it important to make your home fall-proof?

Sometimes falls can be dangerous. Hitting your head can cause a head injury. Falls are the leading cause of deaths due to injury among adults age 65 and older.

To prevent falls around your home:
• Remove things that you can trip over, such as raised doorway thresholds, throw rugs, and clutter. Repair loose carpet or raised areas in the floor
• Move furniture and electrical cords out of walking paths
• Use nonskid floor wax, and wipe up spills right away
• If you use a walker or cane, put rubber tips on it. If you use crutches, clean the bottoms of them regularly with an abrasive pad, such as steel wool
• Keep your house well lit, especially stairways, porches, and outside walkways
• Put sturdy handrails on stairways

–

(By Shannon Erstad athttp://health.yahoo.com)