Holiday Home Safety To Prevent Falls Among Older Adults

For families, holiday time means coming together. If you are visiting an aging loved one, it’s the ideal time to ensure they are safe and secure in their home. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, falls are the leading cause of injury among adults age 65 and older. However, most of these falls can be prevented. Your visit with your loved one this holiday season is the perfect opportunity to assess and eliminate potential fall hazards in their home.

Holiday-Specific Decorations and Lighting

While holiday decorations bring warmth and cheer into our homes, they can also pose unexpected dangers to older adults. Traditional decorating activities often involve climbing, reaching, and maneuvering around obstacles to hang lights or place ornaments. Although many seniors wish to continue their holiday traditions, it is important to help them do so safely while putting decorations up or taking them down. Here are key objects to watch out for:

• Electrical cords from holiday lights that lie across walking paths; tuck them along walls instead.
• Decorations that require climbing ladders to place or remove them.
• Holiday-themed scatter rugs, which are a big tripping hazard.
• Christmas trees that are placed in normal walkways.
• Fallen evergreen needles, which can be deceptively slippery.

Taking Action: What Family Members Can Do To Help Prevent Falls

During the holidays, use the time you visit your loved one to introduce some critical safety interventions. Begin with these essential tasks that could make an immediate difference in your family member’s safety:

• Assess your loved one’s home room by room for safety.
• Create a list of necessary modifications.
• Tackle emergency safety issues while visiting.
• Assist in the installation of any safety devices that must be installed.

The prevention of falls is not a one-time change; rather, it requires constant attention and adjustment as needs change. Consider the following strategies for maintaining safety throughout the year:

• Engage your loved one respectfully with concerns.
• Consider professional home safety assessments.
• Plan for changes in lighting and weather as the season changes.
• Schedule regular check-ins to monitor home safety.

General Home Safety Checklist Reminders

Falls are a common concern for older adults, as about one out of five falls will cause a serious injury, such as a fracture (including a broken hip) or a head injury. So, practicing general home safety is important. Here are things to watch out for.

Lighting: According to the National Institute on Aging, good lighting can reduce falls, especially on cold winter days when older adults are likely to spend most of their time inside. Inadequate lighting hides potential hazards and makes it hard to estimate distances or depth. Here are recommendations to reduce the chance of a fall:

• Install night-lights with motion sensors in the bathroom, hallway, and bedroom.
• Ensure lighting on all stairs at the top and bottom.
• Replace blown bulbs immediately.
• Place additional light in dark corners where holiday decorations may cast shadows.

Flooring and Pathways: Holiday celebrations, with gifts, decorations, and increased foot traffic in the home, can add challenges for seniors. Here are solutions for common trouble spots:

• Remove loose rugs or secure them with double-sided tape.
• Clear clutter in walkways, especially gift boxes and shopping bags.
• Keep pathways between rooms wide enough for easy navigation.
• Check for loose floorboards or carpeting that needs repair.

Bathroom Safety: The bathroom is considered the most hazardous room in the house due to slippery surfaces and the need to move from the toilet to the shower to the sink. Since most falls occur while carrying out normal bathroom activities, be sure to:

• Install grab bars around toilets and inside showers.
• Use nonslip mats on the bottom of bathtubs and showers.
• Install a raised toilet seat if necessary.
• Ensure bath mats have a rubber backing.

Furniture and Accessibility: How furniture is arranged in the home can significantly affect an older adult’s safe movement. During the holidays, when extra seating or decorative pieces may be added to the dynamics of the usual traffic flow, it’s essential to:

• Arrange furniture to ensure clear passageways.
• Ensure seating is positioned for easy sitting and standing.
• Place commonly used items within arm’s length.
• Consider temporarily rearranging furniture if holiday decorating affects normal pathways.

Help Seniors Safely Maintain Their Independence

Older adults who take an active role in their safety feel empowered to maintain their independence. Support your senior loved one in adopting these daily habits and practices to significantly reduce their risk of falling:

• Keep a cordless phone or cellphone within easy reach.
• Wear proper-fitting, nonslip footwear, even indoors.
• Use an assistive device, such as a walker or cane, when recommended by health care providers.
• Exercise regularly to maintain strength and balance.
• Move slowly and deliberately when transitioning between positions.

Final Thoughts on Preventing Falls

The holidays should be a time of joy and togetherness, not concern and accidents. You can help your senior loved one stay safe and independent by taking steps in advance to prevent falls. Remember, small changes can make a big difference in preventing falls and keeping the holiday season festive and safe for everyone.

Above all, try to approach all these safety discussions with empathy and respect. Working together as a family toward a safer environment strengthens bonds and provides peace of mind for all parties involved.

How Right at Home Can Help

Right at Home offers a wide range of in-home care services. Our professional caregivers can provide light housekeeping, medication reminders, transportation to appointments, and help with ambulation and hygiene. To find out more, use our office locator to find your local Right at Home and request a FREE in-home care consultation today.

Right at Home offers a FREE Fall Prevention Guide to help assess an aging loved one’s home for fall risks. Download a copy to find out more.

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