How to’s on preventing falls in the home, a continued public health concern

Kathleen Anderson

Falls among older adults continue to be a national public health concern. The National Council on Aging (NCOA) has designated Sept. 23-27, 2024, for Falls Prevention Awareness Week, a nationwide observance with state coalitions and partners to raise awareness on preventing falls, reducing the risk of falls, and helping older adults live without fear of falling.

Most are common-sense fixes, but sometimes, especially if we have lived in the same place for many years, we become accustomed to the way things are in our home without realizing they could constitute a hazard.

Below are examples of how to prevent falls in the home:

• Install good lighting in stairways
• Replace any burnt-out bulbs
• Make sure a light switch is installed at both the top and bottom of the stairs
• Consider using light switches that glow so you can see them in the dark
• Install handrails on both sides of the stairway that are at least as long as the stairs
• Fix loose handrails
• Repair any loose, broken, or uneven floorboards
• Add non-slip safety treads on bare wood stairs
• Paint a solid stripe at the top edge of each wood stair so you can see the stairs clearly (light paint on dark wood and vice versa)
• Or use reflective tape on the top and bottom of the stairs to clearly mark where your staircase begins and ends
• If your stairs are carpeted, use solid colored carpet (not patterned, thick, or dark) so you can clearly see the stair edge
• Fix any carpet that doesn’t adhere firmly
• Remove rugs from the top and bottom of the stairs
• Clear stairs of any clutter and don’t leave objects on them (books, papers, etc.)
• Keep a flashlight nearby in case your power goes out
• Watch out for single steps, they can become tripping hazards
• Make sure all thresholds are even with the floor (including both indoor and outdoor doorways)

Bedroom

• Keep a lamp and a flashlight near your bed, in case you need to get up at night
• Install nightlights from your bedroom to your bathroom
• Keep a phone or charged cell phone near your bed
• Add a bed rail to make getting in and out of bed easier
• Keep your floors clear from any clutter
• Repair any loose floorboards and ensure any carpet is low pile
• Hem your pants so they don’t touch the floor when you’re barefoot, you could trip over them if they are too long

Bathroom

• Add a nightlight
• Install grab bars near the toilet and bathtub/shower; add HoldFast Grips for extra non-slip grip aid
• Add a raised toilet seat to make standing up from the toilet easier
• Or use a toilet surround to provide a place to grip for support when sitting and standing from the toilet
• A raised seat with handles combines the two and adds extra support
• Add a non-slip bathmat or shower mat to reduce slips in the bathroom
• Use a shower chair or bath bench to sit while you bathe and reduce your chance of falls
• Use a bath lift if you are no longer able to get in and out of the bath independently
• Add a grab bar to your tub to make it easier to get in and out
• Place a secured, slip-resistant rug beside the bathtub/shower for safer entry and exits
• Clean up any water on the floor promptly

Kitchen

• Organize your kitchen so the food, dishes, and cooking equipment you use most frequently are easy to reach
• If you need to reach objects in upper cabinets, use a step stool with a handle (don’t stand on a chair, countertop, box, etc.)
• Keep a reacher grabber nearby for a better solution to reaching objects in high or low cabinets (without the falling risk of a step stool)
• Replace any loose floorboards
• Remove any rugs (you could slip or trip on them)
• Don’t use floor wax, or if you must, only use non-skid floor wax
• Post any important health information, doctor’s phone numbers, etc. on your refrigerator
• Clean up any spills promptly and don’t walk on the floors until cleaning solutions have dried completely

Living Areas

• Make sure you have a clear pathway between rooms
• Remove any rugs or secure them with double-sided tape or non-slip backing and check them periodically
• Install light switches at the entrance of rooms so you don’t need to go into a darkened room to turn on the lights (consider glow-in-the-dark switches)
• Keep the room and floor clear of clutter that could be a tripping hazard, including plants, shoes, low coffee tables, books, and blankets
• Keep electrical, extension, and telephone cords away from your walking path, coil them and tape them to the wall instead (but don’t put any cords under rugs)
• Repair any loose floorboards
• Install low-pile carpet over any concrete, marble, or ceramic floors to reduce the severity of injuries if you fall
• Throw away any wobbly chairs or tables
• Don’t sit on low chairs or couches that are hard to stand up from - if you need support when standing try using a CouchCane

Outside

• Make sure all paths are brightly lit
• Stoops and steps should also be lit to avoid trips and falls
• Install handrails along any outdoor steps (front steps, garage steps, back steps, deck steps, etc.)
• Repair uneven or broken sidewalks, walkways, and driveways
• Keep your sidewalk and walkways clear from snow, shovel it or hire someone to do it for you
• Keep your icy walkways salted to reduce falls
• Add an ice cane attachment to your cane for extra grip on icy areas
• Keep your steps, walkways, decks, and porches clear of wet leaves, sticks, rocks, newspapers, and other potential slip hazards
• Remove roots that stick out from the ground
• Trim your bushes and shrubbery along walkways so it doesn’t impede your path

Other Fall Prevention Suggestions

• Wear non-slip shoes indoors to reduce your risk of falls, if you prefer socks make sure they are socks with non-slip treads
• Make sure you have a phone you can reach from your bed, another phone accessible from the floor (in case you fall and can’t stand up), and consider carrying a cell phone in your pocket
• Wear a medical alert necklace so you can quickly and easily call 911 for help, if you do fall
• Ask your doctor about starting an exercise program to improve your strength and balance
• Have your vision checked annually, impaired vision can lead to falls

Ask your doctor and pharmacist to review your medication (even OTCs) because some have side effects that can make you dizzy.

For a complete check off list on how to make your home safe from falls, click here.

For caregivers, both family and professionals, click here.

Kathleen Anderson writes this column each week from her home in Olympia. Contact her at kathleen@theJOLTnews.com or post your comments.