Falling doesn’t have to be a normal and natural aspect of getting older. In fact, many falls can be prevented with proactive maintenance, senior fall risk management services, and regular health checkups.
Why Fall Prevention is Important
The most obvious answer to why fall prevention is important is to avoid injury. A fall may only result in a little embarrassment for a younger person, but an elderly person is more likely to sustain physical harm from a fall that may be long-lasting or life-threatening. Falling can increase your loved one’s risk of breaking a bone or having a head injury.
Preventing falls also helps your loved one remain independent for longer. When someone begins to fall often, it can reduce their ability to continue to live safely in their own home and severely limit their independence.
Finally, preventing falls before they happen can help your loved one stay positive and be willing to stay active. Many elderly who experience a bad fall, begin to express concerns about future falls and those concerns may cause them to be less active or participate in fewer activities, limiting their social connections and the opportunity to try new things – both important to mental and cognitive health.
Three Common Factors That Can Trip Up Your Loved One
Physical Abilities
Your loved one may have lost some of the physical attributes that she had when she was younger, which helps prevent a simple misstep from becoming a full-out spill onto the floor. Losing muscle strength and endurance can increase the risk that your loved one may fall when overextending herself physically, such as climbing stairs or going for an extended walk.
Another physical condition that can increase your loved one’s risk of falling is poor vision. Not being able to see well in low light can increase the risk of falling, or not being able to judge depth can cause a misstep on the stairs or when stepping onto a part of the ground that has a divet in it.
Environmental Factors
The are many areas around the home and yard that can trip up an elderly person. There might be too many loose items on the floor, like rugs and cords. It could be uneven ground, such as a sidewalk that is buckling from a root underneath it. Or it could be poor lighting that makes seeing tripping hazards difficult.
Medical Conditions
Some medical conditions, such as Parkinson’s disease, dementia, and chronic vertigo, can all increase the risk of your loved one falling. Some medications may also cause dizziness and increase the risk as well.
Keep Your Loved One Safe with a Senior Fall Risk Management Assessment
You can help your loved one proactively make her home safe and reduce the risk of falling by having a senior fall risk management assessment team come to her home to provide guidance and suggestions on changes she can make to prevent future falling traps.
A senior fall risk management assessment team can also be a great resource if your loved one is moving in with you or another family member and you’d like her new living environment to be assessed so she can reside safely in her new home. Prevention is key for your loved one to remain safe and continue to enjoy all that life has to offer.
If you or an aging loved one are considering Senior Fall Risk Management in Lafayette, CA, please contact the caring staff at Aviva In-Home Care today at (415) 463-1400
Aviva In-Home Care provides exceptional senior home care in the Bay Area, including San Francisco, Burlingame, San Mateo, Hillsborough, Atherton, Menlo Park, Palo Alto, Berkeley, Lafayette, Orinda, and surrounding areas.
- Heart-Healthy Habits for Seniors - April 16, 2026
- Helping Seniors Get the Most Out of Their Days - April 3, 2026
- Home Care Helps Seniors With Glaucoma Live Better At Home - March 23, 2026
