Fall Prevention Tips for Seniors in Durham, NC Assisted Living

Did you know that self-confidence has an impact on your overall balance and fall risk factors? If you fear you can't maintain balance, you increase your risk of falling.

As part of the Research Triangle Region, Durham, NC, strives to find the best ways to encourage confidence and mindfulness in local seniors. Our TerraBella Durham senior community has the same ideals.

We've put together the top fall prevention tips for you to incorporate into your lifestyle today. With these small changes, you can make a big difference in your overall safety.

Continue reading to learn more!

Make an Emergency Plan

Your first step for better senior safety in Durham, NC, is to create an emergency plan. This should be a step-by-step process of what to do if you happen to fall. It should also be flexible in case you fall while in a location outside of your normal routine.

A thorough emergency plan includes answers to problems such as:

How to assess injuries and safely move after a fall
How to reach emergency services
How to work your fall alert device

Don't forget to inform your support systems about these subjects, including assisted living caretakers and loved ones. They can provide more insight or help you perform them more efficiently during potential emergencies.

Upgrade Your Lighting

Poor lighting can be a direct contributor to an increased risk of falling. It can create deep shadows that hide tripping hazards. It can also trick your eyes into seeing a clear pathway that isn't clear at all.

Upgrading your lighting is a step toward improving assisted living fall prevention.

Make sure to pay attention to pathway lighting. For instance, some seniors like to arrange small lights that can brighten the path they take to the bathroom in the middle of the night.

It lets them use the restroom without needing to turn on all the main lights of their home, but it still maintains safety while walking.

Clear Away Clutter

Eliminating the clutter in your apartment is a great way to improve memory care safety and prevent falls at the same time. When there are fewer things to look after, it's much easier to stay focused on the things that matter most to you. There will be fewer things to accidentally bump into or trip over.

Plus, clutter can harm your mental well-being with:

Increased stress
Increased anxiety
Lowered productivity
Lowered motivation
Overstimulation

If you're struggling to clear away sentimental objects that create clutter, try making a photograph scrapbook specifically for those items. You can browse through the fond memories without taking up walking space in your home.

Wear the Right Shoes

The right shoes can make a huge difference in your overall confidence with walking. If you feel timid while walking, your shoes may be holding you back.

In some cases, poor walking shoes can even be a danger to your safety -- even more so if the soles of the shoes aren't made of non-slip material.

The best part is that the correct style of footwear can even help begin balance improvement for older adults. Make sure to talk to your doctor about the steps to finding the shoe that's right for you.

Install Grips and Rails

Do you feel that it's difficult to get in or out of the shower stall? Do you need to hold on to something whenever you put on your shoes? Do you find yourself putting a hand on the wall or leaning on a dresser?

These activities can often result in an accidental fall, which could have been prevented if you had mobility support for seniors.

Instead of leaning on something insecure, install grips and handrails in areas where you need a little extra help. It being bolted to the wall means it has no risk of moving when you least expect it, and you'll maintain your balance through the task.

Improve Your Balance

It's crucial to improve your balance to help prevent falls, and that means dedicating time and energy to specific exercises. Even a few sessions can result in meaningful improvement to your balance.

The trick is to keep going, even when the exercises start to feel too easy. Introduce more difficulty so you're always finding new ways to improve.

Balance-boosting exercises include:

Chair yoga
Leg lifts
One-legged standing
Musical statues
Heel-toe steps
Toe taps
Hip extensions

Test Your Eyesight Often

How long has it been since you've been to an eye doctor? Poor eyesight can increase your risk of falls. You may not even notice the dangerous downward step in front of you until it's too late.

Try to schedule eye checkups at least once a year. You'll need to adjust your visit frequency if you have a condition that affects your eyes more directly.

Getting your eyesight checked regularly can also make improvements in other areas of your life. You may be able to participate in community programs more than ever before when your eyesight isn't causing an issue.

Review Your Medication

Diminished eyesight isn't the only thing you'll need to analyze to improve your fall prevention strategy. Medications can also cause problems with hazardous side effects.

As you continue to adjust your lifestyle to prevent future falls, don't forget to double-check your medication with your doctor.

It can be worth it to adjust your medication whenever possible. If a medication can cause dizziness, for example, ask if there's an alternative.

When it's not possible, understanding the risk of the side effects can be a separate tool toward fall prevention. You'll have to adjust other parts of your life to suit the side effects, such as taking your medication before bed instead of in the morning.

Make the Most of These Fall Prevention Tips With TerraBella

Making lifestyle changes using our fall prevention tips can be difficult, but it doesn't have to be. Joining a welcoming and supportive senior community can make a positive difference in your safety during retirement.

TellaBella Durham offers seniors supportive care with a unique flair. We can help you with fall prevention and strength-building through our personalized care plans. We'll help make sure every step you take is with confidence.