“No Fall Zone”: A Caregiver’s Guide

to Safe Aging in Place

Decreasing falls in the Home Environment

By: Melissa Avery, OT/S

Kimberly Cabral, OT/S

Christine Clark, OT/S

Courtney Reilly, OT/S

What is Occupational Therapy?

• Occupations refer not only to jobs but also tasks that people have to do or choose to do in their every day lives.

• We enable people to continue living life to its fullest through the use of interventions, education, adaptation and modification.

• We are knowledgeable about multiple diagnoses and their impact on function.

Why stay at home?

• Over 90% of adults over age 65 prefer to stay in their own home for as long as possible.

• Strong ties to home, community and culture

• Aging in place means more than an environment to grow old in. It means home, a place where memories and histories were created.

Making Your Home a “No Fall Zone”Tips for keeping your loved one safe at home.

Facts About Falls

• Falls are a leading cause of injury among older adults.

• According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), one out of three adults aged 65 and older fall each year.

• Of those falls, less than half tell their primary healthcare providers about them.

• 19,700 older adults died from unintentional fall injuries in 2008.

• In 2009, 2.2 million non-fatal fall injuries in older adults were treated in emergency departments, with 581,000 patients being hospitalized.

• Falls Among Older Adults: An Overview (2012) Retrieved May 1, 2012, from http://www.cdc.gov/HomeandRecreationalSafety/Falls/adultfalls.html

Most Common Causes of Falls in the Home

• No single factor causes all falls; however the risk of falls increases with the amount of factors the person is exposed to.

• Common Factors Include:• Lack of Physical Activity

• Impaired Vision

• Medication Use

• Environmental Factors

• Uncontrolled Diabetes

• Poorly-fitted Shoes

• Muscle Weakness

What is the role of home modifications in fall prevention (2011) Retrieved May 1, 2012, from http://www.homemods.org/about_us/index.shtml

Home Modifications Can Help to Prevent Falls!

• Home modifications lessen the physical demands placed on the older person during every day activities

• They increase the older person’s safety in their own environment, allowing them to continue to live in their home for as long as possible

• Home modifications can range from very inexpensive to expensive, but there are many modifications that can be done by caregivers

• Here are some modifications you can make to keep your loved one safe!

Throughout the Home…

• Walking surfaces are as level as possible

• Use slip-resistant floor coverings such as low-pile carpeting or rough tile

• Increase lighting

• Color contrasts (lighter color flooring, darker walls)

• Install wall-mounted light fixtures

• Eliminate use of extension cords

• Relocate light switches or install environmental control units that turn on when the person claps or enters a room

• Eliminate cluttered hallways

• Remove scatter rugs

• Clean spills immediately

Kitchen

• Increase door width to 30 inches to allow walkers to pass through

• Move frequently used objects / products to lower shelves or countertops to avoid over-reaching

• Slip-Resistant Tile

• Install “drop down” shelving (see picture next slide)

• Ensure that a seated food preparation area is available

• Combine food preparation area with dining area to eliminate need to transport plates of food

Stove allows cooking while seated

Drop-Down Cabinet Shelving

Seated Food Preparation Area

Bathroom• Always keep a night-light on

• Install grab bars in tub/shower and near toilet

• Non-Skid shower surface

• Vary colors in the bathroom for easy visual identification (ie, add decorative, colorful decals to shower if same color as toilet, etc)

• Bathroom rugs with non-skid backing only

• Walk-In shower

• Hand-held shower

• Increase door width to allow for walker use

• Eliminate threshold if possible; if not, ensure that threshold is brightly colored

• Add shower chair/ tub bench

Tub Bench

Grab Bar

Stairways

• Install handrails on both sides of the stairs and extend them one foot past the top and bottom stair

• Handrails should be at elbow height

• Use color contrasts on first and last steps

• Limit stair rise to 7 inches, tread should be at least 11 inches

• Install light switches at top and bottom of stairs

• Ensure carpeting is secured to the stairs

• Install a stair lift if your loved one becomes unable to ascend stairs safely

Stair Lift

Dual-Railing Stairs

High-Contrast Stairs

Bedroom

• Install a night-light

• Place a lamp at the bedside

• Make clear paths

• Store flashlights in easy to find locations in case of power outages

• Install bed rails to make getting in and out of bed safer

• Organize closets to eliminate clutter and make items easy to obtain

Remember…

• Always contact your loved one’s doctor if you notice that they are falling or seem more disoriented

• Be sure to discuss medication use with the doctor and the impact that the meds can have on falling

• Occupational therapists can perform in-home evaluations to assess what modifications your loved one can benefit from

Any Questions?