One of the biggest things that you can do for your senior as her family caregiver is to work on a fall prevention plan for her. This plan doesn’t have to be perfect immediately, because what you’re aiming for is to keep her safe. As you learn more about her fall risks and what else you can do to reduce her likelihood of falling, you’ll be able to adjust the plan accordingly.
Talk with Your Senior’s Doctor about Her Medications
All medications have side effects, but some of those side effects can greatly increase your senior’s fall risk. Talk with your elderly family member’s doctor about what possible side effects she should watch for on a daily basis. If some of her medications might be making a fall almost inevitable, find out if there are any changes that your senior can make to help avoid that outcome.
Also Ask about Her Fall Risks
What are your senior’s other fall risks? If she’s experiencing blood pressure issues, that could leave her at greater risk of a fall for example. Understanding your elderly family member’s fall risks helps you to put together a plan to account for those variables. And when you’re better informed about your senior’s needs, you’re able to keep home care providers and other family members informed, too.
Determine a Feasible Exercise Program
If your elderly family member’s doctor determines that exercise is still a good idea for her, consider putting together a workable exercise program for her. Moving a little more can help your elderly family member to rebuild muscle tone and improve her balance, which are two of the biggest factors in helping her to avoid a fall. Keeping up with a consistent plan for movement offers her huge benefits in lots of different areas of her life.
Address Home Safety Concerns
Your senior’s home itself is another variable to consider carefully. Does her home have bright enough lighting? Could she benefit from more handrails throughout the house? What else could make the home safer for her? If your senior is determined to stay in her home for as long as possible, it also needs to be as safe as possible. Elder care providers can help your senior to keep her home clean and neat if that’s becoming a challenge as well.
Look into Other Solutions
Home care providers have a lot of experience in keeping aging adults from experiencing a fall. There may be factors that they notice and can help you to be aware of as well so that you can keep reducing your senior’s fall risk. Keep working with your senior’s doctor and consider how things like physical therapy or using a cane could benefit your elderly family member and help her to stay safe.
Remember that even one fall can double your senior’s risk of having another fall. And any subsequent falls are likely to be far worse for your elderly family member than the first one. Keeping your elderly family member as safe as possible means developing a plan that reduces her risk as much as you possibly can.
If you or an aging loved-one is considering Home Care in Fitchburg, WI please contact the caring staff at Agape Senior Services Madison today. (608) 841-1004
