3 Common Places with Hidden Fall Risks (and how to avoid them)

According to the National Council on Aging, nearly one-third of adults over the age of 65 experience a fall each year. These falls result in more than two million injuries from minor sprains or strains to severe hip fractures.

The three main risk factors for falls include:

• Physical – changes to your body’s muscles, bones, and joints.
• Behavioral – things you choose to do or not to do.
• Environmental – hazards within the environment.

For all these reasons, many older adults who have arthritis or osteoporosis or those who have had a total joint replacement may develop a “fear of falling.” This can start to limit the activities a person may do. However, staying active is actually one of the best ways to address the physical risk factors and can help prevent falls. Inactivity will eventually lead to loss of muscle strength, balance, and bone density, which not only increases the overall risk of falling but also the chances of a fracture from a fall.

Another way to reduce the risk of falling is to look at the environmental hazards that you can control. Since September 22^nd was Falls Prevention Awareness Day, we partnered with Rennes Health & Rehab Center to put together a quick guide on avoiding common – but sometimes hidden – environmental risk factors for falls. Our guide will focus on the interior of your home, bathrooms, and grocery stores.

Your Home

With furniture, electronics, stairs, toys, and clothing, there are a lot of hidden fall hazards within a typical home. Here are three easy ways to help decrease your risk of falling:

1. Ensure your home is well lit using bright light bulbs. This will help you quickly spot unexpected hazards such as cords, loose rugs, or a pulled out chair.
2. Make sure light switches are easily accessible. You’ll want to be able to turn the lights on as soon as you enter a space.
3. Use secure hand rails for all stairways, including those that only have a few steps.

Bathrooms

The bathrooms are probably the smallest rooms in your house, but they can have several hidden fall dangers. Here are three that can be easily fixed:

1. Clear up clutter. Put hair dryers, curling irons, or other corded items away in drawers or cabinets after use. This way cords aren’t hanging loosely around the bathroom. Also, keep smaller items off of the floor to prevent tripping.
2. Make sure floor mats and rugs are secured tightly to the floor. Tack them down or use floor grips to prevent movement.
3. Install grab bars by the toilet and shower in case you need an extra hand getting up, and look into toilet raisers and shower chairs. All of these items can give you extra peace of mind.

The Grocery Store

In the grocery store or other shops and restaurants, you don’t have control over the lighting, flooring, or bathroom layouts. However, there are still things you can do personally to address common environmental risk factors for falls. These include:

• Wearing high traction and supportive shoes that help prevent slipping on all types of flooring. They will also be helpful when floors get wet due to rain or spills within the store.
• Using hand rails or grab bars when available.
• Being aware of your surroundings and looking for potential, unexpected hazards such as wet floor signs, worn out floor mats, and loose carpet or rugs.

Find more resources on fall prevention from the National Council on Aging.