In the U.S., an average of 60 older adults fall every minute. That’s one adult per second. Fall injuries are common in those 65 or older, and those injuries can be severe. Several things can lead to a fall, including medication side effects and too much clutter in the home. Medication side effects are tricky, as the benefits of the medications are essential to your mom and dad’s health. What’s easier to prevent are falls caused by clutter. Decluttering solutions help end many of these falls, and this is how you and in-home care providers can do it.

Learn the High-Traffic Areas

Find out what the high-traffic areas are in your parents’ house. If your mom is in the family room watching a movie, what routes does she take to get to the kitchen, the front door, and the bathroom? What path do they follow to get from their bed into the bathroom?

Clutter needs to be carefully monitored in high-traffic areas. Even one dog toy that’s left out could lead to a fall if your parents aren’t expecting a ball or chew toy to be in the hallway. Make sure clutter is picked up regularly.

At night, the high-traffic areas need to be illuminated. Your mom and dad may not want to turn on the lights and fully wake up, but they need enough lighting to prevent a fall. Invest in floor-level motion-detecting LED puck lights to light up the floor enough for visibility.

Make Sure Everything Has a Place

While looking around your parents’ home, look for items that don’t have a place. If there is too much for your parents’ storage options, it’s time to reduce items or increase storage space. Instead of a TV stand with minimal storage, replace it with cube shelving that has additional storage space in baskets.

Clean out items your parents never use. Your mom has books she’s read and never plans to read again. It’s not worth keeping them. Donate them. That frees up space for things your parents use regularly.

Hire In-Home Care Services

Your parents may not have the stamina to clean up the clutter. You can when you’re there, but you work during the week. This situation is ideal for in-home care services. Hire caregivers to assess your parents’ fall risks and address organization and decluttering.

In-home care aides help families care for older parents who are prone to falling. Hire caregivers to help with decluttering and light housekeeping.

By removing clutter from floors and stairs, you eliminate one of the areas where your parents are more likely to fall. Call our in-home care agency to make arrangements.

Sources: https://www.cdc.gov/injury/features/older-adult-falls/index.html

If you or an aging loved-one is considering In-Home Care Services in In-Home Old Town Alexandria VA please contact the caring staff at Apex Classic Home Health Care today. (571) 275-9547

• Author
• Recent Posts

Susana Sekyi

Owner at Apex Classic Home Health Care

We were inspired to open Apex Classic Home Health Care by the wealth of experience working in the nursing and medical fields. We have seen, first-hand, the type of care people need to maintain their health and hope. We use our knowledge and experience to provide all our clients the type of services, guardianship, and comfort they need to live at home. We are expert caregivers, stress relievers, and the trusted source for medical attention and hope that exists in the comfort of our clients’ homes. We work from an overarching philosophy of trust and compassion and strive to be THE premier source for in-home care in our community, and beyond.​

Latest posts by Susana Sekyi (see all)

• In-Home Care: Fall Prevention Starts with Decluttering Solutions - February 17, 2022
• Elder Care: The Benefits of Grapefruit for Seniors - February 4, 2022
• Home Health Care: What to Expect After Your Mom’s Gallbladder Removal - January 20, 2022