Serving Plano, Murphy, Parker, TX, and the Surrounding Area
Visiting Angels PLANO, TX
2301 Ohio Dr #135Plano, TX 75093
Phone: 972-665-9946
Fax: 972-665-9949
Elderly Fall Prevention in Plano, TX
Meet Eleanor, a 78 year old Plano resident. Not long ago, her daughter saw Eleanor holding on to the furniture more when walking from room to room. She also stopped tending to her garden in the backyard. Eleanor didn’t want her daughter to know that there were a few close calls and almost fell down.
According to the Texas Department of State Health Services, more than one in four Texas adults aged 65 and older fall each year. Knowing that falls are the leading cause of injury-related hospitalizations among elderly Texans, it’s important to follow an elderly fall prevention program for your loved one.
Every Step Matters
Like many of our elderly clients, Eleanor prefers to be independent at home. The thought of moving into assisted living on account of safety concerns devastated her, so she kept it quiet.
The problem is that the risk of falling down posed a bigger threat than a bruised kneecap, rather it threatened her ability to age safely in place from the comfort of her beloved single-story ranch home of 30 years.
Falls are a Life-Changing Threat to Seniors
- Twenty percent of older adults die within a year of a fall.
- Recovery from injuries such as hip fractures can take up to a year in a long-term care facility; forty percent of those who fall are not able to go home again.
- Fifty-five percent of falls occur inside the home; twenty-three percent happen outside, but near the home.
A serious fall can significantly change an elderly person’s quality of life like the case with Eleanor. Plus, the fear of falling itself can cause elderly adults to skip social gatherings and miss important family functions. They might not leave their house altogether, causing a level of isolation that leads to anxiety and loneliness.
How Visiting Angels of Plano Can Help with Fall Prevention
With the help of Visiting Angels of Plano’s in home caregivers, your loved one can avoid dangerous and costly falls. We offer a program called Safe and Steady™ Fall Prevention that includes a personalized in-home safety assessment to identify areas of the home that would render an elderly person likely to trip or fall. We provide recommendations for minor home modifications that would make aging at home much easier, such as installing grab bars, or removing rugs, using walkers, putting frequently-used items in places that are easy to reach, etc.
Download Visiting Angels’ free Safe and Steady Fall Prevention Resource Guide here
Our caregivers provide mobility assistance around the house, companionship on walks during Plano’s lovely spring and fall weather, medication reminders to prevent dizziness, light housekeeping to clear trip hazards, and meal preparation for good nutrition.
For many clients, assistance with personal care activities like bathing provides the level of support necessary to prevent falling during these high-risk activities.
Contact UsWarning Signs Your Loved One is at Risk
By examining the risk factors and addressing hazards around the home, some falls can be prevented. Physical signs like having difficulty standing from a seated position, an unsteady gait, reaching out for the nearest wall or furniture while walking, vision impairment or decline, recent weight loss that affects an individual’s balance or dizzy spells when standing up are strong warning signs of a fall risk. Medication side effects should be noted too. Taking multiple prescriptions that cause dizziness, or recent changes to meds can all be factors.
There are external culprits to watch out for as well. These include uneven floor surfaces, throw rugs prone to bubbling or folding, poor lighting in the home, wet floors, cluttered areas in the home and a lack of grab bars in the bathtub or shower stall.
The cost of ignoring the warning signs is high. A single fall-related hospitalization averages $30,000! For seniors like Eleanor, addressing these risks early means the difference between staying at home or an unwanted move.
Schedule a Fall Prevention Assessment
Contact Visiting Angels of Plano today at 972-665-9946 or fill out our intake form here to get started with one of our in home caregivers. Our staff will be happy to set up a free, in-home consultation that comes with a complimentary fall prevention assessment of your loved one’s home.
Serving Plano, Murphy, Parker, TX, and the Surrounding Area
Visiting Angels PLANO, TX
2301 Ohio Dr #135Plano, TX 75093
Phone: 972-665-9946
Fax: 972-665-9949