revent fatal falls in the home

Adetoun Ajayi’s co-workers think she is the prettiest girl in the office. She has even heard some of them mischievously describe her legs as a work of art.

She thought nothing of the compliments until she lost one of her legs, not in a road accident but one that occurred in her bathroom.

Ajayi slipped and fell while stepping out of the shower. The doctor said she broke her tibia (the bone below the knee) and will need prosthetics to walk again unassisted.

Domestic falls sometimes lead to fractures and, in cruel cases, broken skulls or instant death.

Some victims suffer life-long physical and mental disabilities from a fall down the stairs, on glossy tiles in the living room or on the marbles on their patio.

Experts say preventing a fatal fall in the home may go beyond parents shouting at kids not to play around or walk on a wet or slippery floor.

They note that if falling were limited to a particular age group, adults who should know better would not be victims of this simple but sometimes fatal incident.

Health education and awareness expert, Dr. Ken Kemblay Jnr., and Dr. Christain Barber, who co-authored a book entitled, “Preventing Falls in Daily Life,” say domestic falls sometimes go beyond carelessness.

The authors highlighted five interesting risk factors why individuals fall, either at home, in the office or outdoors and add that they are preventable.

Osteoporosis

Barber defines osteoporosis as a condition wherein bones become more porous, less resistant to stress, and more prone to fractures. He notes that hormonal changes, calcium and vitamin D deficiency, and a decrease in physical activity are some of the factors responsible for this disorder.

He says, “Osteoporosis is a chief cause of fractures in older adults, especially among women. Take enough calcium-rich foods and Vitamin D to strengthen the bones.”

Lack of physical activity

Kemblay stresses that failure to exercise regularly results in poor muscle tone, decreased strength, and loss of bone mass and flexibility. All these, he notes, contribute to falls and the severity of the injury that follows.

Impaired vision

The authors say age-related vision diseases can increase the risk of falling. Cataracts and glaucoma alter older people’s depth perception, visual acuity, peripheral vision and susceptibility to glare. These limitations hinder their ability to safely negotiate their environment, whether it is in their own home or in a shopping mall.

“Before you hurt yourself in a fall, if you think you are not seeing clearly, please see an ophthalmologist,” they add.

Medications

An individual on sedatives, anti-depressants, and anti-psychotic drugs may have to be careful with the way they race down the stairs, come out of the shower and their alcohol intake. Barber notes that medications and alcohol contribute to falls by reducing your mental alertness, worsening balance and gait, and causing drops in systolic blood pressure while standing.

He advises that patients should always read the side effects of any drug prescribed for them and also make necessary life-style changes while on the medication.

Environmental hazards

Kemblay notes that at least one-third of all falls in toddlers and the elderly involve environmental hazards in the home.

“The most common hazard for falls is tripping over objects on the floor. Other factors include poor lighting, loose rugs, lack of grab bars or poorly located/mounted grab bars, and unsturdy furniture,” he says.

To prevent such domestic falls, the authors advise parents to conduct a walk-through of their home to identify possible problems that may lead to a fall. A home visit by an interior designer or occupational therapist might also be useful, in that they are trained to identify risk factors and recommend appropriate actions.

Below are some tips to prevent falling in living spaces

Bathrooms

•Install grab bars on walls around the tub and beside the toilet, strong enough to hold your weight; add non-skid mats to bathtubs.

•Mount liquid soap dispenser on the bathtub-wall and install a portable, hand-held shower head.

•Add a padded bath or shower seat and use non-skid mats or carpet on floor surfaces that may get wet.

Kitchen

•Keep commonly used items within easy reach and use a sturdy step stool when you need something from a high shelf.

•Make sure appliance cords are out of the way.

•Avoid using floor polish or wax in order to reduce slick surfaces.

Living, Dining and Family Rooms

•Keep electrical and telephone cords out of the way and arrange furniture so that you can easily move around it. Also, make sure chairs and couches are easy to get in and out of.

•Use television remote control and cordless phone.

Bedroom

•Put in a bedside light with a switch that is easy to turn on and off (or a touch lamp and locate your telephone within reach of bed.

•Adjust height of bed to make it easy to get in and out of.

•If you can, have a firm chair, with arms, to sit and dress.

Stairways, hallways and pathways

•Keep free of clutter and make sure carpet is secured and get rid of throw rugs.

•Install tightly fastened hand rails running the entire length and along both sides of stairs.

•Make sure there is adequate lighting in stairways, hallways and pathways for people to see clearly at night.