Sadly, injuries are quite common in seniors. These injuries can be caused by a variety of factors, some that we can control through planning and preparation. In this article, we will look at a few things we can do when taking care of loved ones to prevent injuries.
Ensure They Undergo Regular Eye Checkups
Poor vision increases the risk of injury no matter your age. This situation is even worse for seniors, since their vision gets progressively worse as they become older. Light sensitivity, an inability to differentiate objects, poor night vision, and other eye problems are normal parts of aging. To help ensure that these issues do not become too bad too fast, it is advised that you take your loved one for regular eye checkups. A doctor will be able to see and correct signs of progressively worse vision, cataracts, and glaucoma. If a senior loved one wears glasses, take them in annually to get them checked for effectiveness and replaced if they no longer provide the expected benefits.
For Loved Ones with Dementia
Understanding and relating to our environments is key to staying injury-free. For seniors displaying signs of dementia, these abilities might become diminished and it is therefore the family’s or caregiver’s responsibility to ensure they live in a safe place.
Sometimes the measures put in place to protect a loved one with dementia at home are not enough and this is why it would be a great idea to consider modern senior living St Louis MO facilities. These facilities are designed to not only ensure that your loved ones remain safe, but to allow them some of the same freedom they would enjoy at home so they do not feel trapped or abandoned.
Prepare the Bathroom
Wet surfaces, in the bathroom or elsewhere, are a danger to seniors and are the leading cause of slips and falls in this demographic. Non-slip mats and textured floor tiles are both great for preventing slips. Additionally, consider adding grip bars to various strategic locations so your loved one can have some guidance while they walk or something to hold on to should they slip. Even when they are not installed around the bathroom, it is still important that grab bars are installed above the bathtub or insider the shower stall.
Check the Stairs
The stairs are another common cause of falls for seniors. The first thing you should do is ensure that the stairs have handrails on them. These can be used when going up or down. Next, ensure that the carpet on the stairs is sufficiently held down. If there is a carpet or rug at the bottom of the stairs, ensure that it is removed. If possible, the current stairs can be replaced with those that have a much gentler slope.
Even when you put measures in place to prevent injuries in seniors, it is still a good idea to check in with them from time to time. Talk to them about any injuries they have or instances they have come close to injury. This is the best way to find additional solutions that can reduce their risk of injury.
