When people start to reach an advanced age, preventative care becomes even more important. People’s bodies may start to break down both physically and mentally. To avoid the health consequences that can result from this, caregivers everywhere need to prioritize preventative medicine as part of an overall health and wellness strategy.
A Senior’s Worst Enemy!
One of the most common problems that can impact the elderly population is falls. While these might seem relatively benign for children and young adults, falls represent some of the most costly problems both financially and physically for people of advanced age. There is some valuable advice that elderly patients and their loved ones should remember to minimize the risks of falls.
The first piece of advice that everyone should remember is that people will trip over things that they can’t see. This means that there should be plenty of lighting in an area where elderly people walk regularly.
To assess the lighting situation, it is important to consider the natural light in the area and the number of artificial lights. If there are windows in the area, remember that this light will disappear when the sun goes down. If there isn’t adequate lighting, elderly individuals can easily trip and fall.
In addition to the lighting, everyone should make sure that their glasses and contact prescriptions are up to date if they use these optical aids. Make sure that the vision isn’t blurry so they can see where they’re headed.
In addition to the visual situation, there should be railings wherever elderly people will be walking regularly. Not only do their eyes start to deteriorate but their balance may start to suffer as well. If they start to stumble or feel wobbly, there should be railings in the area so that they can grab onto them to prevent from falling.
It can also be helpful for elderly people to get plenty of exercise as well. The benefits of regular exercise helps elderly people to retain the strength in their core muscles and allows them to shift the balance from one foot to the other without stumbling in the process.
Last, but certainly not least, if you are looking to renovate your home to accommodate an elderly person, you should always elect to go with a ramp instead of stairs wherever possible. Stairs will create serious problems for someone who is elderly and presents a common reason that people trip and fall. Ramps are much easier for people of advanced age to navigate and can help to eliminate one of the most common reasons for falls. Prevent serious injury with these tips for avoiding falls.
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