New Horizons Un-Limited Inc.

Guides

Safety Guide on Preventing Falls in the Home

June 28, 2005

The following is a Guide on Preventing Falls in the Home. Practicing safety begins in the home. People with disabilities often face challenges in balance, mobility, hearing, vision, and endurance that can affect their ability to live independently in the home. Keeping your home safe becomes even more important when faced with these challenges. Falls can cause broken bones or have an affect on your health that can lead to losing your ability to live independently. As there are many people and caregivers who face this safety issue, we are including this guide in the hope it will benefit our readers.

The purpose of this guide is to provide information for people with disabilities who are 18 to 59 years of age, and does not necessarily offer information for the elderly.

New Horizons Un-limited assumes no responsibility in guaranteeing the services, programs or conditions as described. The information provided to you is for educational purposes only. It is not intended to take the place of your doctor or other healthcare professional. This resource is intended to help you make decisions and get the most from the medical services available to you. A licensed physician should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of all medical conditions. If you are interested in a resource listed below call or contact the resource to verify the current situation. Evaluate information and make your own decisions when using the guide.

To Begin....

Begin by assessing your situation:

Balance - Finding and keeping our balance is a key component in getting around safely. Unfortunately there are many conditions that can upset our balance and make it more difficult for us. Understanding the factors that can lead to your experiencing balance instability is very important. People who lose function of balance can compensate with other sensory input. However, keeping the sensory input clear of obstacles will be very important to maintaining your balance. Removing or replacing loose area rugs with securely mounted carpet may become necessary. Keeping hallways and pathways clear of obstacles may become mandatory. Installing handrails and grabbars in showers, tubs and around toilets can prevent many falls.

Mobility - Your ability to be mobile may be dependent on support products such as a cain, walker or a wheel chair, many of these products may require specific floor conditions. Obstacles can greatly hinder your mobility. Keeping hallways and pathways clear of obstacles may become mandatory. Special considerations may be needed for flooring materials. Removing or replacing loose area rugs with securely mounted carpetmay become necessary.

Hearing -

Endurance

Visibility

Identify your needs:

• Bathroom -
  • Floors - install a nonskid surface, remove loose area rugs and install nonskid mats on areas that may get wet. Remove spills.

  • Showers and tubs - Add the following to the shower or tub: grab bars, padded shower seat, and hand-held shower. Add a stool or bench if you need to sit while bathing.

  • Toilet areas - Install grab bars for safety at the toilet.

• Bedroom -
  • Floors - Remove loose area rugs, or be sure carpet is secured to the floor, remove clothing or other objects from the floor before retiring to prevent tripping on obstacles in the night.

  • Lighting - Locate lamps to be reached from bed. Provide nightlights for egress to bathroom or kitchen.

  • Emergency - Locate telephone or other identification communication within reach of the bed.

  • Clothing - Do not wear long nightwear or robes on which you may trip. Wear skid free slippers.

• Kitchen -
  • Floors - remove loose area rugs

  • Cabinets - Arrange frequently used items within reach. Acquire a sturdy stool or ask someone to reach objects that are too high

• Living Room -
  • Floors - remove loose area rugs or be sure carpet is secured to the floor.

  • Arrange electrical cords safely out of the way.

  • Arrange furniture so you can move around easily.

• Stairs -
  • Remove loose rugs and be sure carpet is secure. If your stairs are carpeted,wear non-skid shoes or slippers.

  • Keep stairs clear of obstacles.

  • Make sure that the stairs are well lit with access to switches at both floor levels.

  • Install handrails on both sides of the stairs if necessary.

  • Add brightly colored tape to the edge of the steps to make them more visible.

Adaptive Products

• Grab bars

• Stools

• Night lights

• Identification
  • See NHU Adaptive Technology page on Emergency Medical Information and Identification products.

• Padded shower seats

• Hand held showers

• Handrails

• Safety kit
  • Your safety kit may include:
    • Flashlight and Batteries

    • Battery operated Radio

    • First Aid Kit with pain medication or any prescription medication, and an ice pack.

    • Fire Extinguisher

    • Canned Food or bagged food, Bottled Water, Juices, non-electric can opener or tool.

    • Stury Shoes, work gloves and blankets

    • Spare Key for the Car

    • Cellular phone if you have one or emergency signaling system.

  • For information on how to set up your own safety preparedness kit in case of emergency situations that require evacuation, see the Easter Seals Evacuation Planning Support created a national public education campaign, S.A.F.E.T.Y. first: Working Together for Safer Communities as a response to their growing national concern for personal safety. It's a set of key questions, resources and an excerpt from BOMA's, Are Your Tenant's Safe? that gives everyone a place to start. Their emphasis is on learning from specific solutions of people with disabilities and other special needs. Using the S.A.F.E.T.Y. first kit as a guide, the first step is for businesses to work directly with employees that have disabilities and special needs to develop a personal evacuation plan. As individual needs will vary, people with disabilities are best suited to identify their specific evacuation needs. Once identified, those needs can be integrated into existing evacuation plans — likely providing new insights and essential changes to existing plans. For more information on the S.A.F.E.T.Y. first kit, check out this website.

Identify your resources:

Identify your resources and begin to gather information from these resources. Contact your doctor or other health professionals for any additional recommendations for you in your home. Contact your local Center for Independent Living or other agencies or demonstrations homes for assistive technology assistance, ideas or specific products for changes for the home. Ask family and friends to help you in making the changes required. If you are going to have to make some home repair, identify your financial resources and state and county home repair programs.

• Doctor, hospital
• Friends, neighbors, and family
• State and county home repair programs
• Insurance or financial resources
• Area agencies on aging
• Local library
• Yellow pages either online or local telephone book
• Disability organizations
• Clergy or religious organizations

Home Modification Resources

Do you need ideas on how to make a modification to your home?

See NHU's page on Home Modification ResourcesUniversal and Accessible Design. This page includes resources that can give you ideas about home modification.

Will you need to purchase a particular product to make your home modification?

See NHU's page on Adaptive Technology: Purpose Specific Technology: Home Modification which includes companies that sell accessible home modification products.

Insurance or Financial Assistance:

Do you need to seek insurance coverage or government financial assistance for a home repair?

There are financial options available for making home modifications. See NHU's Guide to Buying a Home for People with Disabilities: Accessible Homes and Accessible Home Modifications.

If you are seeking financial assistance from the government or your insurance company, check that the home repair you need is covered. Apply as soon as you can to the government financial assistance program and check whether you will ever actually be served by the assistance for which you apply, or you may end up for many years on a government financial assistance program waiting list.

State and County Home Modification Programs:

To find out more about state or county home modification programs see NHU's page on Home Modification Assistance.

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