Falls are the most common cause of injuries in older adults, however falls do not only occur as we age. Falls typically happen as a result of one or more risk factors. These include your health, whether you have a physical ailment or a medical issue, as well as any dangers in your house or neighborhood.

Why is it important to focus on elderly fall prevention at home?

1. Long recovery period

A simple and light fall may cause long term repercussions in the elderly’s body. The most common effect of elderly of a fall is a hairline fracture on the pelvis which takes them an average of 6 months to fully recover. In some serious cases, the elderly may require metal implantation to be able to function normally. 

Another implication is that during the recovery period, the elderly will be in a resting position. This would cause their muscle to weaken due to the lack of activity during their recovery period.

2. Negative impact of fall on Elderly’s Mental health 

Without the capability to move like they did before the fall, some elderly may experience difficulty coping with the drastic change. The lack of mobility would most likely mean they will need to rely on external help to move around. Some even choose not to leave their house due to mobility issues. Such an environment may lead to spiralling and cause mental health problems such as dementia, depression. 

Main areas of high fall risks at home

1. Bedroom

Bedroom is one of the place we spend most our time in. The most common accident that occurs in the bedroom is rolling off the bed. The possible reasons for elderly rolling off the bed are:

1. Adjusting positions when sleeping
2. Giddiness cause by low blood pressure (Postural hypotension when elderly gets up too fast

To prevent such accidents from occurring, you can consider installing:

1. Bedside railing

Adjustable bedside railing is a plug and play tool that is installed at the side of beds. The adjustable bedside railing provides support for the elderly when they are getting up and prevents them from rolling off the bed when they are sleeping.

2. Home-use hospital bed

Home-use hospital bed is another great tool to prevent elderly from rolling off their bed. On top of that, the bed can be adjusted to comfortable positions with an attached remote controller.

2. Bathroom

Bathroom is another high fall risk location in many homes, especially so when the floor is wet. 

To prevent such accidents from occurring, you can consider installing:

1. Bedside railing

Grab bars or supporting bars can be installed at places where support is most required. Some locations are:

1. Near toilet doors and shower screen 
2. At areas where turning motions are required, like the shower area. 

It is critical to understand the types of grab bars available in the market and how to identify where to install the grab bar to maximise the benefits of the tool. Our team of medically trained staff at Medical Assistance4u can provide you with consultation services to assist you in finding the best support positions and most suitable safety tools for your loved ones.

At Medical Assistance4u

We provide grab bars with high quality stainless steel cores that are guaranteed to last. These bars can be installed horizontally, vertically or diagonally in high fall risk areas like toilets, living rooms, walkways and more.