Top Tips for Preventing Falls Inside Your Home
September is National Fall Prevention Month, and improving your balance isn’t the only way to prevent falls. The majority of times people fall, they fall inside their own house. Here are our top tips for preventing falls inside your home.
Look at the shoes you wear:
Do you wear shoes in the house? If so, do they have backs? Shoes without backs are a tripping hazard and a major cause of falls within the home. If your shoes don’t have backs, see if you can trade them out for a pair that do– as colder temperatures approach, there is no better time to grab a warm pair of house shoes (with backs!).
Check your area rugs:
Do you have rugs with corners that always seem to curl up? Or maybe your area rugs slide around on the floor. Our favorite solution to this issue is getting rid of the area rugs altogether. However, if this is not possible, try using an adhesive to make sure rugs stay in place, and the edges stay flat on the ground.
Put the pet toys in a basket:
If you find your floor scattered with dog toys (or any toys/clutter for that matter), try to make sure toys get picked up as soon as they are done being played with. This way, your floors can stay clear and everyone can stay safe!
Watch your cords:
Extension cords, chargers, lamp cords, and any other type of electrical cord should be tucked away to minimize tripping hazards. If you need to run a cord over a longer distance, try taping the cord to the floor or wall to keep things secured. You can also try indoor floor cord covers to minimize the risk of tripping as well.
If any of these tips were helpful, let us know! Comment and let us know which tip was helpful for you.
In honor of National Fall Prevention Month, Health in Balance is offering a FREE 15-Minute Balance Screen throughout September. It's a quick way to see how your balance, strength, and mobility are measuring up and whether there are areas that could use some attention.
Don't wait for a fall to find out your balance could use some work.
