Read below to see some of our favorite tips on fall prevention here in Autumn View Gardens.

Your Greatest Preventive Tool

Understanding is the most powerful tool in your arsenal against falls. By understanding how memory disorders affect the mind, you can adapt your lifestyle and living space to compensate for potential hazards.

Additionally, understanding the routine and habits of those with dementia lets you tailor your safety plans to suit individual needs.

Exercise and Physical Activity

The fear of falling, especially after one occurs, often leads to inactivity. Anxiety is natural and understandable, but adopting a sedentary lifestyle increases your loved one's falling risk. In contrast, getting seniors moving helps preserve their mobility.

Walking, chair rises, tai chi and gentle stretching are good ways to exercise and strengthen muscles and increase flexibility. Healthy activity can also raise their sense of balance and help combat depression, bone loss and heart disease.

Diet and Medications

Many medications can cause dizziness, so it's important to track the potential side effects of your loved one's prescriptions. Be sure to consult their doctor if side effects are causing issues in their daily routine.

Also, ask their medical team to check on their nutrition levels. Many individuals with cognitive issues have trouble eating and experience vitamin and mineral deficiencies. This can lead to weakened bones and conditions such as anemia that can also cause dizziness, weakness and pain.

Grab Bars and Handrails

Good support can help seniors maintain their balance while doing common actions, such as standing up from the toilet or getting out of bed.

Bathrooms are one of the best places to start when installing safety bars and rails, especially in the tub or shower. Another spot to consider targeting is beside favorite resting spots and chairs.

Comfortable Shoes and Feet

Incorrectly sized footwear can slide around and cause pain. Foot and leg discomfort may lead to your loved one walking with an unsteady gait.

The ideal shoes should fit feet comfortably with soft insoles, low heels and nonslip treads that enhance footing. Seniors should avoid walking barefoot or in socks, especially at night if they commonly wake up and rush for the bathroom.

Research suggests up to 87% of older adults have foot disorders that hinder their mobility. Left untreated, foot pain and deformities can lead to a fall or a decline in healthy activity.

For this reason, we offer on-site podiatry here in our memory care community in Creve Coeur, MO. Regular visits with such specialists help catch and address issues that could otherwise keep our residents from enjoying life to the fullest.

Declutter Floor Surfaces

Age and cognitive issues cause changes in vision and perception. It can be difficult for older adults to see obstacles in their walking path.

When they spot a cord or misplaced item, they may struggle to gauge how to step over it. Memory issues slow response times, making it harder for them to decide quickly how to react.

Keeping the floor clear of wires and clutter removes this issue and helps them move around more confidently.

You can easily get started organizing cables with simple household items such as Velcro straps, twist ties, binder clips and plastic storage bags. Organizers, including shoe bins, magazine racks and rolling carts, can help you tame floor clutter.

You may wish to replace patterned rugs. The patterns can trick aging eyes into thinking there's something on the floor that needs to be stepped over or avoided. Dark-colored rugs can appear to be a hole in the floor to individuals with dementia.

Lighting

Properly lit spaces can help reduce the impact of vision problems by eliminating confusing shadows. The key is to incorporate anti-glare lighting into your living spaces because many individuals with memory issues are highly sensitive to glare.

Some light fixtures you may wish to consider include lamps and wall sconces that conceal the bulb and allow light out the sides, top or bottom. Many ceiling light fixtures are also designed to encase the bulb, blocking glare. For the light bulbs themselves, opt for dimmable versions that can be adjusted to comfortable levels.

Windows provide an excellent source of natural light that can boost mood. To gain the benefits without painful glare, soften the light from sun-facing windows with sheer curtains and soft shades.

Signage

Directional cues can reduce the risk of falling by helping prevent wandering. This is especially useful if the person is urgently looking for the bathroom or another location and not paying attention to their surroundings.

Some older adults may object to the labels, but thoughtfully selected signs can blend seamlessly into your home's decor. You may also enjoy creating DIY sign decorations from chalkboard signs and vinyl decals with your loved one as an art project.

Funny joke signs can also help your loved ones accept the additions, especially regarding bathroom signs. A quick internet search offers hundreds of selections, making it simple to match your loved one's sense of humor.

When selecting signage, look for large, easy-to-read letters and pictures to help them identify the room.

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