Fall Prevention Awareness

Qualimed is thrilled to join the National Council on Aging (NCOA) in recognizing Falls Prevention Awareness Week, September 18-22, 2023. This observance helps raise awareness, prevent falls, reduce the risk of falls, and enable older adults to live without fear of falling. Most falls are preventable! Let’s review the six easy steps outlined by the NCOA to help older adults understand how they can take action and prevent falls.

Most falls are preventable! Let’s go over the 6 easy steps outlined by the NCOA to help older adults understand how they can take action and prevent falls.
  • 1
    Find a balance or exercise program. This can help you build strength, flexibility, and stability.
  • 2
    Talk to your doctor. Don’t be afraid to let your doctor know if you’ve had a fall and ask for a fall risk assessment.
  • 3
    Review your medications. Discuss medications with your doctor or pharmacist to learn which prescriptions or over-the-counter medications may increase your risk of falling.
  • 4
    Get your hearing and vision checked. Your eyes and ears are key to keeping you on your feet.
  • 5
    Keep your home safe by removing any items you may trip over, making sure your space is well lit, using bathmats in the shower, and installing grab bars in the bathroom.
  • 6
    Talk to your family. Ask for their support in completing these steps to stay safe.
According to the NCOA, more than 1 in 4 older adults falls every year. Also, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that more than 95% of hip fractures can be traced back to falls. Together, we can reduce this statistic by raising awareness and using the 6 simple steps above.

How can Qualimed help prevent falls?

Here at Qualimed, we offer many different types of equipment that can make your home a safer place and accommodate your individual needs. Here are some examples:

Wheelchairs

A wheelchair can be a great option for a person who is no longer able to walk without ample assistance or experiences fatigue quickly. Wheelchairs substantially reduce the risk of falls and injuries while allowing people to remain mobile and independent when used properly. Qualimed offers many types of wheelchairs including transport chairs, reclining back wheelchairs, removable desk arm wheelchairs, and wheelchairs with removable elevated leg-rests. There are also lightweight options available, making them easier to transport.

Lift chairs offer more than traditional recliners. All lift chairs feature an easily accessible remote that allows for the chair to be raised and lowered, making sitting and standing safer. The extra support provided by a lift chair ensures stability and can help reduce muscle strain for individuals with limited mobility, while maintaining independence and reducing the risk of falls. Qualimed offers three main types of lift chairs: two-position, three-position, and infinite-position. When choosing a lift chair, consider options such as material, size, weight capacity, position options, and luxury add-ons like massage, cup holders, heat, and USB charging ports. Our customer service staff can help determine which style of lift chair best suits your needs.

A cane can be a great way to provide a little extra support and stability while walking. If you need more support than a cane can provide, a walker can be a great way to keep you on your feet. Front-wheeled walkers make it easier to maneuver, while non-wheeled walkers are more stable. Rollators are like walkers except they have wheels on all four legs. They offer the most mobility but should only be used by those who can control the wheels and brakes. Along with providing stability while walking, rollators also offer a place to sit and typically include a small pouch for storage. Qualimed offers bariatric and heavy-duty options for all the equipment mentioned above.

The bathroom accounts for 80% of falls in the home for seniors. Along with grab bars, Qualimed offers a range of other bath safety equipment to make your bathroom safer. Shower Chairs, shower transfer benches, bariatric shower chairs and transfer benches, bathmats, and toilet seat risers are a few options that Qualimed offers to enhance bathroom safety. Shower chairs can provide support while showering and significantly reduce the risk of falls. A shower transfer bench is similar to a shower chair but offers more support and a longer bench area to help those with limited mobility get over the edge of the shower/bath. Bathmats are used in the shower and create a non-slip surface for standing. Lastly, toilet seat risers can make it easier for those who struggle to bend and sit on a regular-height toilet seat.

Grab bars are essential for preventing falls and potential injuries in the home by allowing a person to “grab” them during an emergency or in the case of dizziness or loss or balance. They are designed to enable a person to maintain balance, reduce fatigue while standing, redistribute weight while maneuvering comfortably and most importantly, give the person something to grab in case of a slip or fall. Grab bars can be installed anywhere in the home but are most commonly installed in the bathroom where getting up and down from the toilet seat or in and out of the shower/bathtub can be a challenge.

It is often believed that ramps are only for those who can’t otherwise use stairs, but that mindset should change. Stairs leading into your home can make you susceptible to fall even if you are otherwise in good health for many different reasons. Qualimed offers a wide variety of ramps, including modular, folding portable, and threshold ramps.

Qualimed also offers a variety of equipment for a patient’s room with limited mobility such as commodes, homestyle rails, and hospital beds. Placing a commode in a patient’s room can help avoid falls while traveling from the room to the bathroom. Homestyle rails, otherwise known as bed rails, can be installed on a standard bed, preventing the patient from potentially falling out of bed and giving them something to grab onto. Also, patients can lose balance, fall, and get injured while getting out of an ordinary bed. A hospital bed can prevent accidental falls and have various safety features, including bedside rails.

How can Qualimed help prevent falls?

Overlooking preparations for aging can prove to be a huge safety risk. Initiating conversations about aging and safety early on can provide peace of mind and security for all parties. The true cost of falls can be substantial, not just in terms of money but also in terms of health and quality of life.

Our staff at Qualimed truly care about educating and preparing our customers so they can age in place safely. Call or visit us today if you’d like to learn more about how we can help!