Slips and falls are serious anywhere, but if you concentrate just on occurrences in private homes, an arresting statistic jumps out right away- falls are responsible for 50% of all accidental deaths in the home.
Let’s take a look at two of the top causes of a slip and fall in a private home. We can take a look at how they happen, how to avoid them yourself, and how to make sure your home is safe for guests, repair people, and anyone else.
Obviously, the statistic above is a sobering piece of information for anyone, but this is especially true for anyone living with and/or caring for elderly family members. According to the National Floor Safety Institute, every year 30% of people over the age of 65 will sustain a fall. Apparently, for every decade of life lived, the likelihood of a fall increases. And these falls can have terrible effects on people’s lives. Most people over 75 who sustain a hip injury from a fall are not able to care for themselves independently after the event.
And that death statistic takes an even darker turn when we consider exclusively older populations: 67% of fall fatalities are among people aged 75 years or older.
To ensure the people from older generations are safe in your home, the best defense is monitoring. Whether this is digital or in-person will depend on the person themselves. Get advice from your doctor about what your relatives can handle on their own. Make sure there are railings close by to the bed, shower, and chairs being used. Make sure shoes and slippers are in good shape and offer the assistance of a walker or cane if needed. You may also have to educate the person about how to use the device, which may require a doctor visit or an occupational therapist.
According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), floors and flooring materials contribute directly to more than 2 million fall injuries each year. In fact, the majority of injuries stemming from falls occur at ground level, not from an elevation. And floors themselves are not the only problem; rugs and carpets are often to blame as well. Threads can get caught on someone’s foot, or the material can get bunched together, causing serious accidents.
For the safety of you and your guests, make sure to do a walk-through on a regular basis. Take note of any uneven surfaces, bunched-up rugs, or broken stairs. Put these at the top of your to-do list, especially before any decorative jobs. Dealing with an unstylish kitchen is a lot better than a broken leg.
Even after taking all the precautions possible, accidents still happen. If you have suffered a fall on private or public property, reach out to a qualified attorney to help you make sense of the situation. And, even in an uncertain world, we can all increase our safety by remaining calm, taking it slow, and looking where we are going. No matter what may be on the ground, if you see it and avoid it, it can not cause you an injury.
blogs
Bicycle Safety Tips
Bicycling might be the true essence of freedom in transportation. No dependence on anyone to get around except yourself, no motor to make you drive out of control, and you can park your bike just about anywhere. Still, safety while riding a bicycle is just as important as with any other mode of transportation, especially […]
Tesla’s Brilliance in the Automobile Industry
Tesla Incorporation, founded by Elon Musk, is taking over the automobile industry with its emphasis on sustainable energy by manufacturing high-end electric vehicles. The company is known for its manufacture of high-end vehicles that are designed for speed and endurance. Below are a few ways Tesla and their brilliance with Elon Musk set the auto […]
Five Products for Increased Automobile Safety
It should be no surprise that in Arizona and California, with the increasing dependence on cars, automobile accidents are increasingly likely. In the event of an accident, you want to have as many bases covered as possible – from minor repairs you can do yourself to getting yourself out of harm’s way as quickly and […]
Five Apps Every Trucker Should Have
Driving a tractor trailer or any other large vehicle isn’t just about long hours, lots of miles and making sure you’re still driving safely after those lengthy days. It’s a lifestyle, and like any other connected lifestyle in the 21st century, there are plenty of apps to go around designed to help make a truck […]
Four Medical Alert and Slip and Fall Apps
Slip and fall accidents are unfortunately rather common in the US. The part that many people often miss when discussing slip and fall accidents, though, is that it is not just the elderly who suffer from them. Anyone of any age can have an accident, and people of all walks of life may have chronic […]
Stay Safe in Hybrid and Electric Vehicles
In the history of cars, hybrids and plug-in electric vehicles are still essentially brand-new. With new technology comes a new way to look at transportation. This includes an eye toward safety – anything new in automobiles is going to require a new understanding of how they work, what the dangers are, and how to maintain […]
Driving Tips for Warm Weather
As winter thaws and we move into spring and summer, the roads will soon begin filling up with road-trippers and people moving cross country. The more cars on the road, and the more freedom we have in that nice, warm weather, the more risk we’re at of some kind of accident. Here are a few […]
Introducing MADD
As it says on their website, “the mission of Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) is to end drunk driving, help fight drugged driving, support the victims of these violent crimes, and prevent underage drinking.” And these mothers and their supporters work tirelessly to improve policy and law-making, and they are a force to be reckoned […]
Hit by a Police Car? Here’s What You Need to Know
Although car accidents are pretty common on Californian roads, car crashes involving law enforcement officers are quite rare. However, this is not to mean they do not happen. A police officer might cause an accident during a police chase against a suspect, or even due to negligence. What do you do when you are injured […]
Four Arizona Workers’ Compensation Tips
If you live in Arizona and you suffer an injury while on the job, you should know your rights, in terms of representation, potential compensation, and the laws surrounding workers’ compensation. You should make sure to seek proper medical care, as well, and be certain to keep records of communications and treatments for future reference, […]
contact form
