Over 14 million seniors experience a fall each year, highlighting some of the dangers and risks that can arise when you reach your senior years. For retirees in Columbia, SC, falls in the home or community can create worry for both the individual and their loved ones.
However, there are plenty of practical strategies you can take to help minimize the risk of a fall. Read on to learn about a fall prevention program and how it can help seniors live a more independent life in Columbia, SC.
What Is a Fall Prevention Program?
As people age, they begin to experience health issues that can make a fall more likely and an injury from a fall more severe.
That’s due to several factors, such as weaker muscles, poorer hearing and eyesight, and problems with balance. Cognitive decline and memory loss, like dementia and Alzheimer’s, can also make hazards like falls and trips more likely.
A fall prevention program is a set of strategies designed to help seniors stay safe and lower the risk of falls. It’s intended to be tailored to an individual, helping identify specific risk factors and establishing some practical ways to navigate those challenges.
For example, it might involve assessing hazards in the home, such as stairs and rugs that could cause a person to trip. Fall prevention programs help implement changes in the environment and routine, as well as educate a person and their care team or family on how to minimize the risks.
Assessing Risks: Basic Screenings
There are simple health screenings seniors can undertake to check for fall risks. This is a crucial first step for any effective fall prevention program. Screenings will check factors such as:
- Balance
- Strength
- Gait
- Medical history
- Medications
- Chronic conditions
- History of falls and injuries
All this will provide a healthcare professional with a clearer picture of that person and the unique fall risks they face. In addition, safety screenings can be carried out in the home, and checks will include things such as:
- Hazards like loose rugs
- Poor lighting
- Clutter on floors and hallways
- Slippery surfaces
This combination of health and environmental screening gives care teams and families a more comprehensive picture of the challenges a senior faces. Once that screening is complete, it’s time to start finding solutions.
Balance Exercises for Seniors
Helping the body remain strong and stable as you age is a vital strategy in preventing falls, since weak muscles and poor balance can leave seniors vulnerable.
A tailored but achievable fitness plan is the best approach. It should provide a combination of activities that help with strength, flexibility, coordination, and balance.
Fall prevention activities could include light weights or resistance bands for strength exercises, and balance-focused exercises such as leg lifts or yoga. Stretching routines, either as part of a workout routine or yoga, are also crucial as they help the body stay flexible and reduce stiffness.
Always opt for a senior-adapted class that’s safe and doesn’t put too much strain on an aging body.
Senior Safety Tips and Walking Aids
Seniors with mobility problems can feel more confident when walking around if they have training in safe movement.Although moving may seem like a natural process, limitations as we age make it more complicated.
Training will focus on safe techniques such as improved posture and navigating stairs or uneven floors. It will guide seniors on moving around when using aids such as walkers or canes, ensuring they use these tools safely and as designed.
There may also be other guidance, depending on the mobility level, such as rising in and out of a bath or bed. Mobility training, together with walking aids, is an excellent way of ensuring seniors stay independent for longer.
Avoiding Falls in Seniors: Apartment Modifications
Making living spaces safe is one of the best ways to prevent falls. In a senior living community like TerraBella Windsor Lake, residents will have accessible, purpose-built apartments that are adapted for those with mobility restrictions.
Modified apartment designs should, ideally, include features such as:
- Well-lit rooms
- Grab bars
- Wide hallways and doorways
- Adapted bathrooms
Having accessible living spaces allows seniors to live independently, only seeking help where they need it. It also means loved ones don’t have to worry about the risk of falls, knowing their elderly relative is somewhere safe at all times.
Independent Living Safety: Community Modifications
Creating a safe environment extends beyond a private home, and safety within the wider community is key.
That’s why many retirees enjoy a senior living community, offering a purpose-built environment where fall prevention is part of that design. Steady, even pathways, wide hallways and doorways, and grab bars can all help aid mobility and reduce the risk of falls.
Residents can enjoy their day and all the activities on offer, without worrying about their safety and well-being.
Medication Reviews
A fall can be due to medication or a chronic health condition. Some health issues and medicines can have side effects such as:
- Dizziness
- Drowsiness
- Poor balance
In these circumstances, it can put seniors at a higher risk of a fall. That’s why a medication review is crucial to any fall prevention program, to rule it out as a risk.
In addition, healthcare professionals will typically work with a senior to adapt medication or manage conditions if they are causing the sorts of symptoms that can lead to a fall. It’s why it’s vital to get healthcare teams on board when looking at a fall prevention program.
Using a Fall Prevention Program in Columbia, SC
While aging does bring with it some extra risks, it shouldn’t stop you from being independent and enjoying life. Use a fall prevention program to keep you or a loved one safe from injury.
Being in a well-designed senior living community is an excellent way of keeping your independence when your mobility begins to decline. At TerraBella Windsor Lake, you’ll discover a tranquil setting amidst trees and the lake, marking the perfect setting for a peaceful and comfortable retirement. Join us by touring our community.