Fall Prevention Interventions for Seniors in Newton NC

When you’re young, a fall isn’t a big deal. Children can fall several times a day with hardly any ill effects.

Sadly, this resilience doesn’t last into later life. According to the World Health Organization, falls in older people are a major cause of pain, disability, and loss of independence worldwide.

Not only are these injuries disruptive to life, but they also increase the risk of falls in the future. Seniors in Newton will need to weave effective fall prevention interventions into their daily lives to protect themselves

Interested in learning more about avoiding falls in seniors? Read on for some workable senior safety tips.

Fall Prevention Interventions: Don’t Become a Statistic

Seniors face a massive risk of falling. According to the CDC, fall-related injuries resulted in more than 3 million emergency room visits and 38,000 fatalities among seniors in 2021. Getting regular exercise is the best way to avoid being included in that statistic.

Many seniors in Newton have either experienced a fall themselves or know someone who has. As we age, we get weaker, our senses diminish, and we’re less balanced on our feet. To make matters worse, our bones get weaker, too.

While kids can fall several times in an afternoon and not even break their stride, for seniors, a fall could result in problems like:

• Reduced mobility: Injuries from falling can leave seniors less mobile than they were before the fall.
• Broken bones: Younger people have denser bones, while older people’s bones are more fragile, making them more likely to break after a fall.
• Head injuries: The biggest danger of falling comes from head injuries; a suspected head injury requires a visit to the emergency room.

Don’t Gamble With Head Injuries

Being cautious about head injuries is an essential part of assisted living safety. A head injury could be extremely dangerous, especially for seniors. If there’s ever any doubt about whether or not a senior hit their head after a fall, it’s better safe than sorry.

Some head injuries are internal and don’t look too bad from the outside. Underestimating the extent of a head injury is particularly risky with seniors with memory issues, as it can be hard to pin down the source of confusion.

Balance exercises for seniors are essential if you want to avoid precautionary trips to the emergency room.

Take Care of Clutter

Some of the most effective fall prevention activities involve making changes at home.

Eliminating clutter is an easy method to establish a safer environment and mitigate the possibility of falling. You can lower the number of falls by getting rid of anything that could get in the way of doorways and walkways. Caregivers should schedule routine inspections of senior spaces to guarantee safety.

They should look out for things like:

• Loose floors: Check for any loose floorboards.
• Hazardous electronics: Look out for loose cables on the floor.
• Trip hazards: Shoes being left in walkways.
• Slippery flooring: Look for flooring that could be slippery when wet.

Bathroom and Home Safety Basics

Simple fixes can stop people from slipping and hurting themselves badly in high-risk areas like the bathroom. These fall prevention interventions need to be correctly installed to be effective.

According to the U.S. Access Board’s ADA Accessibility Standards, grab bars and the supporting structure must be able to withstand a 250-pound force. If you are still worried about safety, get a professional contractor to take a look.

• Install grab bars and handrails: Give seniors a sturdy surface to grip in case of a misstep, especially near the toilet and inside the shower.
• Use non-slip mats: Put them in the shower and tub to reduce slick surfaces and improve footing.
• Request a home safety inspection: Local community organizations can assess hazards and suggest practical modifications.
• Plan for a safer setting if needed: When mobility or sensory issues become problematic, a transition to assisted living may be the safest choice.

Correct Installation

Remember that when installing bathroom safety features, correct installation is essential. An incorrectly installed grab bar could rip out of the wall when a falling senior reaches out for support. Such things cause serious injury, so don’t take chances with DIY installations if you don’t know what you’re doing.

Vision and Hearing Checks

Regular hearing a vision checks keep senses sharp and help seniors perceive hazards. Make the basic checks part of the senior wellness routine to cut avoidable risk.

• Annual eye exam: Get a yearly exam to match lenses to your sight and catch cataracts or glaucoma early.
• Fix wrong lenses: If steps look warped or shallow, the prescription is off; correct it so depth cues stay reliable.
• Hearing test: Test hearing every one to two years; loss adds dizziness and makes it harder to locate bikes, cars, and voices.
• Hearing Aid upkeep: Clean and check hearing aids; replace batteries, domes, and filters before performance drops.
• Use sound cues: Use sound to notice hazards behind you, like pets or kids, so you have time to brace or grab a rail.

Don’t Forget Medication Risks

Medicines help, but mixes and side effects can harm balance.

According to the CDC, side effects from common medicines can cause drowsiness, loss of balance, vision changes, and slower reaction, so regular medication reviews are important.

• Full medication review: After any change, have a clinician or pharmacist review the full list, including OTC and herbal products.
• Monitor side effects: Track new lightheadedness, blurred vision, or slower reflexes for two weeks after changes to medication
• Keep a list: Maintain a single, up-to-date list and bring it to every visit
• Don’t stop suddenly: Some drugs cause side effects if you quit suddenly; taper the dose with medical guidance
• Timing matters: Ask if taking doses with food, at night, or in split amounts can reduce drowsiness and balance problems

Effective Fall Prevention Interventions in Newton, NC

At our Newton, NC community, safety leads every decision. We use research-backed fall prevention interventions such as handrails and exercise programs to protect residents across assisted living and memory care.

Here at TerraBella Newton, our Executive Director leads a wellness program that understands each resident’s needs in our assisted living and memory care programs. We offer tailored health and fitness options to suit different ability levels.

See our approach in person. Contact us to schedule a tour.