Room-by-room For Fall & Injury Prevention
Each room or area of your home should be safe for an adult or child. An older adult may have different safety recommendations than a small child & each has different recommendations but sometimes they have the same.
Most of the fall prevention recommendations will be for an older adult and the locking items away & out of reach are for the small child. All electrical safety with wiring & fire prevention is the same for everyone. Below has information on the safety of each room either for an older adult or for a small child or infant.
As you go through each item walk through your home & it will be easy to mark off everything you have or don’t have for safety & make notes of what you need to do.
REMEMBER THE FOUR “R’s” OF MAKING YOUR HOME SAFE:
Rearrange
Moving furniture & items around in your home can make a huge difference, make it safer & easier to get around.
Reorganize
Change the everyday items that you use within reaching distance & organize them to make your everyday tasks easier & safer.
Remodel
Remodeling may take the form of an expensive construction need such as a ramp or new handicap accessible bathroom or it may be purchasing adaptive equipment that involves some remodeling such as installing safety rails at an entrance to a home, safety bars near a tub or shower or adding safety equipment to be used in your homes such as a rolling walker or bath bench. You may need a home safety assessment to know the safety changes that are needed or you may need a physical therapy evaluation in the home if you have had a recent fall or a recent medical diagnosis that has caused a change or limit in the way you get around the home.
Remove
You may need to remove items in your home that are unsafe like for example a throw rug that is not secured or furniture that is not necessary or in the way such as a large coffee table in the middle of the living area. Some items that are in the home are not functional meaning they do not serve a purpose on a day-to-day basis and most of the time are in the way & can be a fall hazard.
Most of what needs to be done can be done by the four words above and if you need more safety assistance it may be in the form of a visit to your physician for more direction such as a strengthening program through physical therapy, home safety assessment, eye exam or check on your medications if you remain unsafe or at risk for falls.
The last safety recommendation is to “PARTNER UP” this means to get a partner to help you stay safe.
Sometimes people are scared or embarrassed to ask for help or afraid talk to someone about their fear of falling, memory problems, being alone or other problems they may have at home. Also, sometimes we may think that others see it as a sign of weakness if you need a walker or cane or other equipment in the home. Safety is MOST important & always put your health first. Sometimes a person doesn’t want to bother a family member or friend but that same person may need your help in other areas & you both can help each other. Don’t let your safety be at risk before you ask for help. Remember most of the time your family members & friends want to help but don’t want to offend you by offering or suggesting help first. Think about a neighbor or friend at church or ask in your community if there are programs that may find reliable & honest assistance in your home if needed.