Allowing the elderly to be as independent as possible can give them longevity. Once they are no longer able to be as productive, they tend to go downhill, and this is for many reasons. Breaking a bone during a fall can be devastating for this reason for someone elderly. A study in Canada shows the high mortality rate post hip fracture in the elderly.
I have personal experience with this, as my grandmother fell and broke her hip the day after my daughter, Rose, was born, and never left the hospital after that. For this reason, among many others, it is very important to do what you can to prevent falls among the elderly. Here are some low cost things that can be implemented in nursing homes, assisted living places, and in the homes of elderly folk living on their own, to help keep falls to a minimum.
Tips for Caregivers for Preventing Nursing Home Falls (on a Budget)
When your parent/grandparent is in a nursing home, that doesn’t mean there’s no more responsibility on your shoulders. It’s normal to feel this way because you want to ensure you did absolutely everything in your power to make him/her safe and happy. It’s very exhausting emotionally, but beyond that, it can also be challenging financially.
Falls are definitely the most common cause of harm in nursing homes, and they can lead to very nasty (and sometimes life-threatening) complications. That’s why it is important for every caregiver to take all possible preventive measures to try to avoid that. Better to be safe than sorry. You can leverage these simple preventive steps to help prevent these kinds of accidents. And even if they’re expensive, they’re worth it.
But, in this article, we’ll go over various ways that you can increase safety levels without straining your wallet.
Why Falls Happen in Nursing Homes
There is more than one factor that can cause falls among residents in nursing homes. Some problems are the result of aging, which is usually reduced balance and low muscle strength. There are also factors like medication side effects (dizziness, blurry vision, feeling weak, etc.), environmental hazards, which also play a big role in this type of accident.
Falls are more likely to happen if there is not enough staff in a nursing home or if safety measures are inadequate. If any of these signs of risk seem familiar to you, you can take appropriate steps to protect your aged family member.
5 Affordable Fall Prevention Tips
Don’t get into thinking that the only way of preventing falls is having expensive equipment or professional services, because there is a more affordable way.
Here are five ways to improve safety without spending a fortune:
- Clear Walkways and Remove Hazards
Keep the resident’s living area free of clutter, loose rugs, and electrical cords, which might result in a tripping hazard. - Step Up Lighting
Ensure the hallways and bathroom have good light during the night with those cheap nightlights or travel lamps. - Encourage Exercises
Such exercises, which would be considered light/easy, still help in building strength and coordination. Seated muscle stretches, balance activities, and walking – walking is always a good thing. - Proper Footwear
Ensure that your loved one wears good non-skid shoes. Avoid slippers or socks that cause slipping. - Use Assistive Devices Correctly
If the patient uses a cane or walker, make sure it fits properly and is being used consistently.
Safety Upgrades on a Budget
Along with simple habits, some small investments can go far in enhancing safety in the nursing home.
As you can see, for a few hundred dollars, you can make big changes that are not only going to serve as prevention from falls, but also to make everyday activities easier for your elderly.
When to Seek Legal Help
Theoretically, if you take all precaution measures, in an ideal world, that should prevent a fall from occurring. However, negligence and poor care may sometimes cause a fall. If this unfortunate option happens, you need to learn your legal rights.
And this is extremely important considering the average safety rating for nursing homes across the U.S. For example, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) assigns nursing home ratings ranging from 1-5 stars.
In NYC, the average overall rating for nursing homes is 5, which is great. The same goes for Miami. But if you take a look at cities such as Chicago or L.A., the average rating is 1. Yikes! That doesn’t mean that Miami nursing homes are automatically better than those in Chicago. But it does mean that on average, though. So do plenty of research before admitting your parents/grandparents into one.
This also means that there’s a greater chance you’ll need legal help in Chicago compared to NYC. So if you find yourself in such a spot, it’d be wise to seek advice from a Chicago nursing home abuse lawyer for falls, because naturally, such a lawyer will be better informed about nursing homes in that particular area.
Mindful Caregiving Without High Costs
The balance between safety on one hand and finance on the other can be quite overwhelming, but taking a proactive stance and being informed can relieve much of the stress and lower the chances of potential risks – which is what you want.
The three pillars on which caregivers base provisions for mindful care on a limited budget are:
- Stay Involved – Through visiting frequently and keeping in touch with staff members, you foster better well-being of your loved one and nip potential problems in the bud.
- Educate Yourself – Inquiring into fall risks and prevention gives you the strength to engage in effective advocacy.
- Plan Ahead – Make yourself a checklist of possible ways for improvements and rank these upgrades according to what’s most urgent and affordable.
By working on these three fronts, caregivers would make the environment safer and more cost-conscious at the same time.
Conclusion
You don’t have the power to control everything, and there are too many factors to eliminate risks completely. What you can do instead is to take all preventive measures to minimize the risks.
With these strategies in mind, you can also do it consciously and without overspending.
