Can Your Senior Easily Avoid a Fall?
August 19, 2019
Your senior might be able to avoid a fall if you’re both paying some close attention to some of these details.
Side Effects from Her Medications Can Be a Problem
Medications your senior takes, whether they’re new to her or medications she’s taken for years, have various side effects that can make her more likely to fall. Some of the side effects to watch out for include dizziness, drowsiness, and anything that impairs her judgment. Talk with your senior’s doctor and her pharmacist about how her medications are likely to affect her.
She Needs Plenty of Quality Sleep
If your senior isn’t getting decent sleep regularly, she may find that she’s off balance more often or that it’s more difficult for her to keep her footing in general. This can happen because her body needs rest in order to reset itself and to recharge. Her brain isn’t as likely to be able to recuperate without sleep, either, or that can create other problems when she’s trying to avoid a fall because she’s not able to recognize hazards quickly enough.
Standing up Too Quickly Can Be Dangerous
When your senior is sitting or lying down, she needs to take her time getting up. If she tries to stand too quickly, her blood pressure can drop rapidly, leaving her lightheaded and extremely susceptible to a fall. One way for her to remember to do this is to encourage your senior to pause at each stage. Scooting to the edge of the chair means that she needs another second or two to rest before she makes an attempt to stand, for instance.
What’s on Her Feet Matters
The footwear your senior wears, both at home and away from home, have a huge impact on her ability to avoid a fall. Her shoes need to fit her properly and should be stable and solid. A non-slip sole is also really important so that your senior is able to rely on her footing. Lace-up shoes are a good idea, because that offers your senior’s foot a great deal of support.
Get Her Hearing and Her Vision Checked
When your senior can hear and see well, she’s much more able to avoid falling. Her sight helps her to avoid obstacles and see what’s going on in her immediate environment. Her hearing helps because she’s less likely to experience balance issues if her hearing is functioning properly.
If your elderly family member has mobility issues or difficulty maintaining her home, having some extra help might be a good idea. Senior care providers can make many aspects of your senior’s life easier for her to manage, which can leave her in a better position to avoid taking a fall.
Excerpt: Helping your senior to avoid a fall means paying attention to a wide range of details.
If you or your loved one is looking for Senior Care Atherton, CA, please call Familiar Surroundings Home Care.
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