Most Common Places for Experiencing Falls and Accidents in the House

For many people, their home is where they can relax and feel comfortable. They want to stay there for as long as possible while they grow into their old age. 

But as your loved ones age, they become more vulnerable to falls and accidents around the house. In fact, one in four U.S. citizens aged 65 and older suffer from a fall each year. These falls put your loved ones at risk of serious injury. To prevent your loved ones from these dangerous falls, you need to make some changes around the house and add some products such as slippery bathtub solutions and improved lighting fixtures. 

5 Common Areas Where People Fall in the House

Why slippery bathtub solutions, handrails, comfortable temperatures are critical for keeping your loved ones safe

Many older people wish to stay in their households for as long as possible. In order to ensure their safety, you need to learn which spots in the house offer the greatest risk for falls and accidents. 

Stairs 

Unsurprisingly, stairs are a common area for falls and accidents. Poor lighting, weak handrails, and slippery surfaces can all cause someone to fall up or down the stairs. Sometimes, weak eyesight and physical frailty can also make someone vulnerable to falling. In this case, you should make sure your loved one always wear their prescription glasses and wear sensible shoes for support. You can also install rubber or anti-slip tape to give their feet a proper grip as they walk up and down the stairs. 

Handrails are also critical for offering support. They should extend the full length of the stairs and offer enough support to handle someone’s body weight. To ensure comfort, you should install any handrails at elbow height. 

Bathroom

Bathrooms are another hotspot for injuries. Slippery surfaces, small obstacles, low seats can all cause falls and accidents in the bathroom. Something as simple as stepping out of the shower or attempting to sit down on the toilet can cause injury if there aren’t any protections in place. Installing grab bars and non-slip surfaces is critical for offering your loved ones extra support and protection. Making sure essential products such as soap, shampoo, conditioner, and towels can also prevent them from over-exerting themselves. 

You will also want to remove any objects that your loved one can easily trip over. Some people fall or trip over the side of their bathtub. To address this issue, they install a walk-in shower or tub. Some people also add a shower bench for convenience and accessibility for anyone who is suffering from an injury or uses a wheelchair. 

Garden

Gardening is a healthy and enjoyable activity for many older adults. However, 23% of falls occur outside the house in areas including the garden. This can occur due to high temperatures, which can easily disorient people. As your loved ones plan out their work day, they should try to work in the early morning or evening when the temperatures are much cooler. While working, they should stay hydrated, protect their skin with a hat and sunglasses, and apply sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher. 

Driveway

Falling in the driveway can be incredibly dangerous, especially if your loved one hits their head on the hard pavement. To decrease your loved one’s risk of injury, you should remove any obstacles that might obstruct their path and level the sidewalk outside of their property. 

Some people also install handrails along their walkways for extra support and protection when moving around outside of the house. If your loved one needs to go out in the evening, it might be helpful to install motion-activated lights to help them move around in the dark as well. 

Living Room

Your loved one’s living room most likely has a number of objects that can quickly turn into roadblocks and hazards. From misplaced furniture to unsecured rugs, a living room can present a number of opportunities for falls and accidents. To reduce your loved one’s risk of falling in their living room, make sure all of their furniture is secured to the ground, remove throw rugs or hold them down with carpet tape, and invest in decent lighting. 

Accessibility Solutions and Remodeling Options

Slippery bathtub solutions, handrails, and more offer better accessibility

3 Birds Accessibility offers a number of options designed to make your loved one’s home safer and more comfortable.

Entryways

Moving through the house in a wheelchair or with a walker can be challenging if you constantly have to walk through narrow doorways. 3 Birds can widen your doors to the appropriate length and also build handicap-accessible ramps throughout your loved one’s household. 

Bathrooms

3 Birds offers grab bar installation, barrier-free showers, ADA-compliant toilets, and other slippery bathtub solutions for customers. Because bathrooms are such a common place for falls, it is critical that you build the proper home solutions to protect your loved ones. 

Stairways

For many older people, using the stairs is a battle in itself. Installing a handrail or stairlift can make it easier for your loved one to walk up and down the stairs. 

For many people, their home is one of the few places where they can feel truly comfortable. But lacking accessibility to its features can make them feel anxious or alienated. Help your loved one feel at home again with these helpful slippery bathtub solutions and other accessibility services. Contact 3 Birds Accessibility Solutions today to start your accessible home remodeling project.