13 Oct Home Safety Tips to Help Prevent Falls
Removing Dangerous Home Hazards
Home falls can happen when you least expect them to and can potentially cause serious injury. In this article we will go through a few precautions you can take to help make your home safer from unwanted, falling accidents.
One of the easiest changes that can make a big difference in your home safety is to go through your home and remove any potential tripping or slipping hazards.
Locating potential tripping hazards around your home:
For instance, go through your home to ensure there are no tripping or slipping hazards in any major, high traffic areas that could potentially cause a fall. You can begin by checking the most frequently used hallways and rooms of your home, then begin to inspect the remainder of your house. Hazards to keep an eye out for are common objects such as electrical cords, boxes, newspapers/magazines, shoes, and any other commonly found objects that you wouldn’t think would be considered a tripping hazard.
Next, scan your home and move, or remove, any furniture in high traffic areas that may not be necessary. Furniture items to consider are coffee tables, throw rugs, mats, plants, or other household nick-nacks that could be tripped over. After removing any potentially hazardous furniture and you or your loved one insist on keeping any rugs or mats, secure them with double sided tape, tacks, or slip resistant backing to ensure that they are safe and reduce the chances of them lifting up under your feet. Another option is to replace your mats with non-slip mats. If you are having trouble securing rugs and mats, or have doubts that they are hazardous, the safest option is to remove it from your home.
Preventing falls in your home can seem like a tedious and time consuming process. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us and we can perform a free assessment in your loved ones home.
Sources: https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/healthy-aging/in-depth/fall-prevention/art-20047358