You can prevent falls by taking care of yourself and making sure that your
environment is not trying to booby trap you. Granted, you body has a number of systems that
can contribute to balance problems (including vision, inner ear abnormalities,
strength, endurance and flexibility) but this still doesn’t mean that falls are
inevitable. It is
up to you to take care of yourself and address any conditions that might
put you at risk.
Your body is not the only
culprit. There are everyday conditions
right in your home that put you a risk. A little prevention, both medically and
physically can go along way toward helping you avoid becoming a statistic. Evaluate your home for safety features and
take precautions. Look at your home critically see if any of
these conditions are trying to sabotage you:
- Lose rugs
- Cords or wires on the floor
- No night-lights in the bedroom and bathroom
- Raised thresholds on the floor between two rooms
- Uneven flooring
- No grab bars near the toilet
- No grab bars in the shower
- Slippery floors
- Slippers that do not fully wrap around and
enclose the foot
- No shower chair or hand held shower
- Closet not arranged so that you can easily reach
your clothing
- Slippery fabrics for sheets and comforters
As you can see, there are
many little things that you can do to address safety issues in your home. Go through your house with a critical eye and
look for potential hazards. Get a
professional evaluation, education yourself, and care enough about your future
to take this seriously. It is possible
for you to feel safe and confident in your own home. Most people fall because they haven’t taken proper
precautions in relationship to their home and their bodies.
Comments