Seniors who are aging in place with Alzheimer’s have a higher risk of falling at home. Any senior can fall at home. But according to studies seniors with Alzheimer’s have up to a 50% higher risk of falling. It’s often recommended that seniors who are living at home with Alzheimer’s disease get Alzheimer’s home care services.
There are many factors that could cause a senior to fall in their home. But there are symptoms associated with Alzheimer’s that can increase the risk. Seniors with Alzheimer’s often experience:
- Dizziness.
- Low or impaired vision.
- Difficulty maintaining balance.
- Difficulty with spatial relationships.
- Difficulty walking or lifting their feet.
All of those could interfere with a senior’s ability to move around the house without falling. Alzheimer’s home care is specialty care that can meet the unique needs of seniors who have Alzheimer’s.
If your senior parent is living at home with Alzheimer’s and you want to lower the risk that they will fall you should:
Clearly Mark Rooms
Seniors with Alzheimer’s can become confused when they are walking around the house. The best way to prevent confusion is to mark all of the most important rooms. Put a large sign on the bathroom door. And the bedroom door. Use glow-in-the-dark paint, decals, or stickers so that the signs are visible at night. It will be easier for seniors to find rooms when they are marked.
Install Handrails
Handrails can be helpful when seniors are experiencing a loss of balance or feeling unsteady. Put some handrails along the hallways to give seniors something to hang onto. When seniors are trying to get to their bedroom or the bathroom they will appreciate having something they can lean on. Seniors are much less likely to fall if there are handrails installed to help them walk.
Paint Walls in Different Colors
One of the difficulties that seniors with Alzheimer’s have is telling where corners are. Trying to orient themselves in space is hard when all the walls look the same. It can make it difficult to gauge depth as well. Painting walls with different colors that contrast with each other can make it much easier for seniors to get their bearings. The house may not win any awards for décor but high-contrast walls can help prevent walls.
Another option for marking rooms is to paint every door a different color. Then your senior parent will learn that the blue door is the bathroom, or the purple door is the bedroom.
Get Rid Of Area Rugs
Area rugs are one of the most dangerous things seniors can have at home. Every year thousands of seniors fall when they trip on a corner of an area rug. Most senior safety experts say that seniors who are living at home should not have any area rugs. If the floors are hard wall to wall carpeting is a good idea. But area rugs are dangerous for seniors.
Sources: https://www.alz.org/alzheimers-dementia/facts-figures
https://alz-journals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/alz.12916
https://drexel.edu/news/archive/2023/January/Fall-Rate-Nearly-50-Percent-Among-Older-Americans-with-Dementia
If you or an aging loved one are considering Alzheimer’s Home Care Services in Reedley CA please contact the caring staff at A-Plus In Home Care, Inc. today. Call (559) 224-9442.
A-Plus In Home Care, Inc. is a Trusted Home Care Agency serving Fresno, Clovis, Sunnyside, Fowler, Reedley, Selma, Sanger, Madera CA, and surrounding areas.
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