Spring Cleaning for Seniors Can Reduce Fall Risks

Did you know: Spring Cleaning for Seniors Can Reduce Fall Risks

Springtime. The word symbolizes flowers are blooming, the grass is growing, trees are budding, and the air is fresh and clean. It also represents the time to clean and purge — closets, garages, basements, attics, cupboards, and drawers for example.

Spring cleaning energizes you and gives a sense of accomplishment, even if you only clean one space at a time. You don’t have to be overwhelmed with it if you plan and organize.

Retirees and Spring Cleaning

Spring activities for seniors don’t have to mean a trip to the doctor for your annual checkup.

Seniors consider spring cleaning a must. Their mothers and grandmothers did it every year, and could probably share tips on spring cleaning using home-made solutions and tools. Maybe your senior communal living friends can pitch in with some of the chores and offer tips on spring cleaning. Look over a caregiver resume or two, so you can have someone on the premises in case of an emergency.

One idea to educate your senior communal living residents would be to host a falls prevention day for the group. If the demonstration prevents even one fall, it’s done its job.

Dos and Don’ts

Now you may get a little over-excited about the diving in so follow these tips:

DO – Evaluate, the risk of falling elderly folks, may face when reaching or lifting.

DO – Be mindful of your clothes and wear shoes to prevent falls

DON’T – Dress in loose-fitting garments that can get caught on protruding objects.

DON’T – Climb on a stool or ladder. Even if you think it’s cool smoke detectors shouldn’t be your chore. Falling from any distance can result in fractures of the hip.

Start Slow

Use your resources, so you don’t overdo it. Pick a chore you can finish in a day. Clean out that junk drawer. One rule of thumb is if you haven’t used it in six months, throw it out!

Once completed you’ll have a sense of accomplishment and a clean drawer without any risk, unless you fall off your chair. Highly unlikely. This one completed task might motivate you to continue, one day at a time.

Some chores are recommended annually. If you have Kidde smoke alarms or any other brand for that matter, changing the battery is a must. Hopefully, you have a son or son-in-law that can assist with tasks like this and save your hip for another day.

Take advantage of senior care benefits and see if you qualify for a caregiver. Be sure you understand the caregiver duties. Review the caregiver resume carefully so you can get an idea of their experience and specialty. Not only can a caregiver perform the tasks that are becoming difficult they can be companionship for the elderly.

An Ounce of Prevention

As we age, we become more to susceptible to loss of balance or falling. Every year the National Council on Aging sponsors a falls prevention day. By visiting their website you can learn some techniques to reduce occurrences of fractures of the hip.

Here are some best practices you can try to help prevent falling:

• Find and engage an exercise program developed for your age and ability. These routines can improve your balance.
• Review your medications with your doctor to confirm their safety.
• Get your vision checked regularly. Vision loss can contribute to the inability to keep your balance.
• Remove any small rugs that are a tripping hazard.
• Make Sure any spills are wiped up off the floor. Another risk of falling older adults sometimes overlook.
• Be sure when participating in spring activities for seniors to wear the right shoes to prevent falls.
• Make sure cords are safely against the wall-another common tripping hazard.

After the Fall

Even after taking all the precautions, the risk of falling elderly folks face is still prevelant. That’s why it is a good idea to research the home health aide job description. As much as we think it won’t happen to us, fractures of the hip are still all too common. The home health aide assists with your recovery as part of your senior care benefits. Cooking, minor cleanup, and laundry are a few chores you can expect as caregiver duties, to name a few.

When a senior adult does fall it doesn’t always mean a broken bone. However the odds of a broken hip or pelvis are higher as we age. There are always consequences associated with a fall and a broken bone.

• Hospital Stay – A doctor needs to evaluate your condition and establish a plan of action
• Independence – Adjustments will be necessary while you are on the mend.
• Family – Although a caretaker can provide much-needed assistance; family support will be vital to your recovery.
• Potential for a Second Fall – Statistics show that after a single fall, further falls are probable. These falls should not be passed off as inconsequential.

Things To Remember

People of all ages want to live life to the fullest. You hear people say their mind is 25 and their body is 65.

You can still lead a fulfilling life by making the right choices. Follow some tips mentioned throughout this article. Be sure to plan your future wisely. Talk to your family and have them help you review a home health aide job description should the need arise. Your sons or daughters should be aware of your wishes. Once you’ve completed all the boring stuff, you can get out and enjoy life.

Retirement is the time to reap the rewards from what you’ve been working towards most of your life. Indulge in your favorite hobbies. Take a bus tour to a local vineyard and savor that glass of wine you’ve been putting off. Just take precautions – you don’t want to lose your balance after your day of fun. You want to be ready for your next excursion.