As the cold weather takes over the country, that means many parts of our country will soon be covered in snow and/or ice if they aren’t already. The winds will pick up and being outside can become a bit more difficult to navigate, especially if you are elderly and already struggle with balance issues. It’s enough to make your loved one want to stay inside all winter long. A senior fall risk management professional can evaluate both inside and outside of the home, guiding what is more urgent.
Building Up Safeguards so Your Loved One Can Enjoy the Outdoors
While staying nice and safe in a cozy home seems like a great idea, there are many important health benefits to getting outside and enjoying the fresh air. From mental health benefits to physical health benefits, it just isn’t always the best policy to stay at home all of the time. So, instead of hibernating, you can help your elderly loved one stay safe this winter when she does go outside.
Five Steps to Take to Prevent Winter Falls
Review all footwear. Shoes and boots can wear out over the years and many people neglect to inspect the most important area for wear – the soles. Make sure any footwear being worn outside, even if it’s just on the driveway to get into the car, has deep treads that can grip icy and snowy pathways.
Go slow. Slow and steady wins the race when it comes to traversing across winter surfaces. Remind your loved one to take small steps and keep her core balanced as much as possible.
Lean on someone. When with a companion, your loved one should take an arm for added support to help her walk outside. If no one is around, remind her to always use hand railings or anything else that can help hold her up and keep her balance, like the side of the home or her car.
Stay in well-lit areas. Your loved one needs to be able to see if there is a slick patch of ice in front of her or another step that’s half buried in snow.
Keep hands and arms free from bags and boxes. The hands and arms can help your loved one correct herself if she feels her feet slipping out from under her. If she’s carrying too many items, she won’t have that ability.
Evaluate Your Home
While you can’t reduce the risk of falls in public places, you can do more around the home where your elderly loved one resides to help ensure it’s as safe as possible, both inside and out, when bad weather hits. A senior fall risk management group is a great place to start and ask for help. By having someone trained in senior fall risk management come to the home, you’ll get the best advice for what around your loved one’s living quarters should be repaired, replaced, or reconfigured to ensure she has what she needs to prevent a bad fall this winter. They will also help your loved one learn safe ways to navigate winter landscapes whether it’s at her home or out in public.
Being prepared for winter means your loved one can still enjoy it without fear of injury.
If you or an aging loved one are considering Fall Risk Management Services in Punxsutawney PA, please get in touch with the caring staff at Quality Health Services.
Call today! Northern Counties: (814) 251-9044
Blair, Cambria, & Centre Counties: (582) 220-2127
Quality Health Services is a trusted non-medical senior care provider in Dubois, Punxsutawney, Bellefonte, Jefferson, Brockway, Brookville, Clearfield, St Marys, Emporium, Philipsburg, Blair County, Cambria County, and Centre County, PA areas.
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