Fall Prevention Strategies for Seniors Living Independently
By: tubcutenew
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Fall Prevention Strategies for Seniors Living Independently
As people get older, their balance, strength, and reflexes often weaken, and their risk of falling increases. If you’re getting older, you may not feel at risk, especially if you’ve been exercising specifically to stay in great shape. But the chances of falling still increase even for you, and you need to take a good look at your home to see what modifications may help prevent slipping and tripping.
Add Grab Bars to the Bathroom
People don’t think that slipping in the tub or shower will happen to them. However, it can happen at any age, becoming more of an issue as you age. Installing grab bars in your bathroom is one of the best ways to combat this.
You’ll want grab bars on each shower or bathtub stall wall. Place at least two bars, if not more, in different positions; it’s good to have a long grab bar along the side of the tub and a shorter one at each end. Do not place them too high up because you need to be able to reach them if you’re sitting in the tub. Plus, if you are about to fall, reaching up above you isn’t going to help; you want to be able to grab the bar quickly.
But the bathtub/shower isn’t the only place you need a grab bar. You’ll also want one by the toilet to help you get up and sit down if you have trouble doing that on your own without support.
Clean up Your Home
You must clean up your home and ensure pathways aren’t full of items that could trip you up. Do plants line the staircase? Remove those. Are side tables sticking out? Reposition those so that you don’t have to move around them. Make pathways wide and clear, and ensure your slippers or house shoes aren’t loose. Those could cause you to trip if they’re loose enough to slip off partway as you walk.
Lower the Threshold Into Your Bathtub/Shower
Suppose you’re starting to have issues raising your leg high enough to step over the side of your tub. Consider converting the tub to a shower stall. You could have the entire tub removed and install a plain walk-in shower, or you could have the side of the tub cut down in each bathroom in your home and create walk-in bathtubs for seniors. This type of modification, such as the TubcuT™, keeps most of the stall intact and doesn’t require any plumbing work. Instead, the middle of the tub’s side is cut down.
There will still be a small ledge that helps keep water inside the tub, but it won’t be so high as to cause you issues. You’ll be able to get into the tub-to-shower conversion in King of Prussia much more easily. If you save the cut-out piece, the company can restore your tub if you change your mind.
Add Motion-Sensing Lights
Another change you’ll want to make is to add motion-sensing lights, especially in the hallway, bedroom, and bathroom. If you get up in the middle of the night to use the toilet and don’t want to turn on the light and wake up your partner, you increase your chances of tripping over something in the dark. A small motion-sensing night light will help you see anything in your path.
Preventing falls as you get older isn’t just a matter of comfort. It’s a matter of safety. If you want to learn more about how modifications like the TubcuT™ can help you prevent falls in your bathroom, contact us today. A simple cut in the side of the tub is all it takes to make taking a shower much easier.