Spring Cleaning Your Home to Prevent Falls
By – Christina Chartrand, VP of Training and Education, Senior Helpers
Falls are the most common cause of nonfatal injuries for adults ages 65 and older (you can find all of the stats and figures here), so it’s important to ensure seniors living in their homes are organized and safe. Spring cleaning is the perfect time to reorganize the house and perform a quick check—especially for those with age-related illnesses like Alzheimer’s and dementia. Here’s a look at some spring cleaning tips by Senior Helpers, the nation’s premier provider of in-home senior care, to help lower the chances of falls:
1. Open up the home layout
Can you say open concept? Moving furniture around to provide wide, clear walkways is a great way to prevent falls without requiring any budget. For example Something as simple as a somewhat narrow path between a TV stand and couch/coffee table that never posed a problem before can suddenly not be enough space and act as an obstacle to trip on. Opening space by rearranging the furniture layout will help. Move things around to allow for more comfortable walking areas to help alleviate tripping concerns.
2. Lighting
Our vision changes as we age, making the proper lighting in the home very important for senior safety. This spring, update the light fixtures in the home to “uplighting,” which is the best lighting for aging eyes. With “uplighting,” the light goes up, bounces off the ceiling, and comes back down to light up the entire room rather than just a corner as “down lighting” lamps work.
3. De-clutter
Some of our elderly loved ones tend to collect more items than they need over the years. Another simple step to spring cleaning is removing these extra items collected throughout the year from walkways, hallways, and stairs to make sure there is a clear pathway when moving around the home.
4. Update flooring as needed
Loose rugs and lifted carpet create a huge fall risk. Check all rugs and carpets around the home to make sure they are set in place. You can easily secure loose rugs with double-sided tape or slip-resisting backing. Or in true spring cleaning fashion, if the rug is not necessary, get rid of it!
Senior Helpers allows seniors to continue to live in the comfort of their own home despite age-related illnesses like Alzheimer’s and dementia by offering specialized care Alzheimers and dementia, Parkinson’s disease and more. For additional health tips, visit the Senior Helpers blog at https://www.seniorhelpers.com/news-videos/blog/.
