My elderly parent had a fall, what do I do now?
Falls are one of the most common accidents for elderly people. Falls are not only scary and unsettling, they’re also dangerous and often result in painful injuries that reduce mobility.
If you have an elderly parent that has recently suffered a fall, here are a few steps you can take to help them recover physically and emotionally.
Remove tripping hazards
Households can be filled with tripping hazards. Some of the most common hazards that should be removed, replaced or repaired include:
- clutter, particularly around walkway areas
- damaged flooring or rugs
- cords that might get in the way
- old or unstable furniture
Provide extra stability support in high-risk areas
A few areas in the home present a higher risk, such as slippery bathroom floors. There are a number of stabilising items you can install to provide extra support such as non-slip shower mats, shower chairs or handrails.
Handrails can also greatly assist stability in areas with uneven surfaces such as stairs.
Improve lighting
Help improve visibility of potential hazards by ensuring there’s plenty of bright lighting, particularly around high-risk areas such as bathrooms and stairs.
Extra lamps, sensor lights, and brighter light globes throughout the house will help improve visibility.
Talk about it
It’s not just the physical toll of the fall that affects people. Many people feel distressed after a fall, and their fear of it happening again can impact their confidence in completing everyday tasks.
If you’re elderly parent has had a fall it can be just as important to provide emotional support and encouragement throughout their recovery.
Good safety habits
There are some good habits to get into that will help reduce the risk of future falls, for example:
- getting up slowly to ensure they’re steady on their feet and not feeling dizzy
- using a cane or walker for extra support
- having regular meals to keep blood sugar levels constant
- wearing sensible sturdy shoes with good soles that fit properly
Carrying a portable handset or mobile phone
If your elderly parent doesn’t have a portable handset or mobile phone, it may be a good time to talk about the benefits of having a phone they can carry on them. Having a portable handset or mobile phone means that don’t need to run for the phone when it rings.
It also means if they have a fall they have easy access to a phone to call for help.
At-home aged care support
Particularly if your parent’s fall resulted in an injury that affects their mobility, it’s important to find ways to support them with their daily chores and activities while they get back on their feet. At-home aged care can help them with activities such as bathing, cooking, transport and cleaning.
At-home aged care professionals can also support your parent with physiotherapy and exercises to help them regain their mobility.
This support will give your parent the support they need to recover and the confidence to move around their home knowing there’s someone on hand to help them if they need it.
You may also be interested in this recent article about the early signs your elderly parent might need at-home aged care support.
Finding the right aged care provider for your parents
At MAC Healthcare Services we take the guess work out of finding the right aged care professional for your parent. We match qualified, compassionate aged-care professionals to individual residents and commercial facilities throughout Australian Capital Territory and Australia.
If you’d like to learn more about how an at-home aged care health professional can support your elderly parent, visit our website on www.machealthcare.com.au or speak to someone directly on 1300 526 877.
