Safety First: How To Stay Safe In Your Senior Year

There is nothing worse than having what you consider to be a silly little accident but paying the price for it over the course of a few weeks. A simple trip over an object that has been left lying around can hurt your back to the point that you are unable to move properly for weeks. This risk is more pronounced in seniors than in any other age group because the body’s ability to heal itself decreases with age.

Trips, slips and falls are the most common accidents that occur in the home, and are also the most common cause of injuries that happen to seniors in general.   Being aware of hazards is the first step to prevent this and lower your potential for accidents.

You can build up an awareness of hazards because you may not naturally notice them. They are all around you, and  you have to train yourself to spot them.  The most common hazards are loose coverings, such as carpets and rugs, and objects that are just left lying around or are inconveniently placed. It is simple enough to put measures into place to prevent these hazards from occurring in the first place. For example, carpets should be checked every three to six months to make sure that all fittings are still firmly in place.  Replace or tighten any loose fittings and then check them again after a couple of weeks to make sure that they are still firmly in place.

Check your furniture arrangement. Nothing should be even partially blocking entrances and smaller items of furniture should be placed in a location that isolates them from any physical activity. If you consider the layout of your house, then all of these suggestions make sense. A few minutes out of your day could, save you weeks of pain.

Install safety grips in the bathroom in the tub, shower, sink and toilet; essentially anywhere you could encounter a slip while wet or in an unusual position.  Hard porcelain and bathroom floors are tough places to fall.

Make sure your home is well-lit. Kitchen work areas should always be free of clutter; clean spills immediately so you don’t forget and slip on it later.

There is no reason you can’t add a few simple precautions to keep yourself safe from accidents in the home.

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