For many elderly people, advancing age means less mobility. Even performing everyday tasks around their homes can become a challenge. Thousands of elderly ones are hurt each year from an accident that took place in their own home. One of the most common types of accident is tripping and falling. With that in mind, lets look at a few of the ways this can be prevented. While we are only going to mention a couple of tripping hazards, as you go through your elderly loved one’s home, you will, no doubt, notice other potential trip over dangers.
One area that is the cause of many accidents is carpets and rugs. While it’s true that many older ones prefer the comfort and warmth that carpeting gives a home, they also have the potential to be very dangerous if they are starting to wear out. A carpets adhesive can start to wear out in places over time which causes the carpet to loosen. Uneven carpeting is easy to trip on. Rugs are another dangerous item in the home as they can be easy to slip on. If there must be rugs in the home, make sure they have a very good slip resistant rubber backing which keeps them firmly in place.
Any type of electrical cord or wiring which is stretched across a walk through area could be potentially lethal for a person with limited mobility. Very often there are not enough electrical outlets where they are needed. Instead of trying to make an electrical cord reach an outlet, which is not only a tripping hazard but also a fire risk, why not rearrange the furniture so that any appliances are positioned close to an outlet? It would also be a good opportunity to check the condition of the appliances and make sure there are no wires exposed or damaged and fraying electrical cords.
As we mentioned earlier, this is just a couple of the many areas in a home that have the potential to cause injury, especially for an elderly person. Its good to periodically check the home and look for ways that accidents can be prevented.
One area that is the cause of many accidents is carpets and rugs. While it’s true that many older ones prefer the comfort and warmth that carpeting gives a home, they also have the potential to be very dangerous if they are starting to wear out. A carpets adhesive can start to wear out in places over time which causes the carpet to loosen. Uneven carpeting is easy to trip on. Rugs are another dangerous item in the home as they can be easy to slip on. If there must be rugs in the home, make sure they have a very good slip resistant rubber backing which keeps them firmly in place.
Any type of electrical cord or wiring which is stretched across a walk through area could be potentially lethal for a person with limited mobility. Very often there are not enough electrical outlets where they are needed. Instead of trying to make an electrical cord reach an outlet, which is not only a tripping hazard but also a fire risk, why not rearrange the furniture so that any appliances are positioned close to an outlet? It would also be a good opportunity to check the condition of the appliances and make sure there are no wires exposed or damaged and fraying electrical cords.
As we mentioned earlier, this is just a couple of the many areas in a home that have the potential to cause injury, especially for an elderly person. Its good to periodically check the home and look for ways that accidents can be prevented.
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