According to statistical data, an estimated 33 percent of seniors aged 65 and older suffer from falls every year. While many seniors are able to manage certain tasks safely during the day, at night simple activities can easily cause falls or accidents. Home Care Assistance of Albuquerque offers tips to help reduce your loved one’s risk of falling at night.
1. Make sure your loved one stays up to date on all of their medical appointments and exams. With age, declining eyesight and mobility makes seniors more prone to falls, especially at night. In addition, these medical appointments can ensure your loved one doesn’t suffer negative side effects from any of their medications such as dizziness or drowsiness which could hinder their mobility and also increase their risk for falls.
2. Examine bedroom furniture and make sure it is stable. Many modern items are not structurally sound to bear significant weight. For example, if your loved one is trying to use furniture as a crutch or to help them walk during the night, you do not want it to tip and fall, possibly resulting in severe cuts, broken bones or fractures.
3. Provide your loved one with mobility aids. Walkers and canes that are properly adjusted offer seniors support and can help them navigate more safely at night. These tools can also be used by seniors to help maintain independence and travel in and out of bed or to the bathroom during the night without assistance from family members or professional Albuquerque caregivers.
4. Make sure dark areas of the home are well lit. By using light bulbs with higher wattages or installing night lights, you can drastically improve the visibility in halls, bathrooms, bedrooms and in other difficult to see areas of the home. This will help if your senior needs to navigate hallways or stairs in the middle of the night.
5. Install hand rails in key areas such as in the shower, near the toilet and along stairways. These provide safety against falls while assisting your loved one with getting up and sitting down. This is especially important for seniors who frequently wake up at night to use the bathroom. Hand rails can provide additional safety and comfort.
If your elderly parent or loved one lives at home independently and they are beginning to experience a decline in mobility, contact Home Care Assistance of Albuquerque today. We offer hourly or live-in care plans that are designed to help seniors live comfortably and safely in their own home. For more information, visit our website at www.homecareassistaneofalbuquerque.com.
