Doesn’t everyone want to live as independently as possible at home? For most of us home is a personal collection of memories. It's filled with our most prized possessions and comfortable belongings, but are we truly safe in this familiar place?
Here are some tips from our Occupational Therapist to minimize your fall risk at home and keep you or your loved one safe:
- Throw away the throw rugs.
- Keep electrical cords out of pathways.
- Use nightlights to illuminate pathways.
- Install grab bars next to the toilet or in tub/shower or anywhere that you need extra stability.
- Install railings on stairways and stoops.
- Consider using a bedside commode, tub seat, small bed rail, a walker tray or an ambulation device.
- Remove glass doors from the tub, hang a shower curtain instead.
- Organize kitchen items, grooming supplies, and clothing closets so that commonly used objects are within easy reach. Minimize the need to bend to get to those hard to reach drawers or to stand on toes to reach overhead.
- Get rid of clutter.
- Wear sneakers instead of slippers or sandals.
- Carefully label and store medications.
- Keep a phone close by or wear an alarm.
- Rest when you feel fatigued!
Author
Rita Levey, OTR/L
Rita Levey OTR/L graduated from New York University with a Masters of Arts in Occupational Therapy. Since then, she has received several awards for her leadership and service and loves to participate in postgraduate work. Rita has over 25 years of experience and is now the director of our In-Home Occupational Therapy Program! Rita has extensive experience that ranges working with patients who’ve had injuries to their hand, spinal cord, brain, neurologic dysfunction, stroke recovery, MS, Parkinson’s, and the severely disabled.
