Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Ways to Keep Senior Citizens Safely at Home

By Alex Markson

Safety is ever an important factor wherever senior citizens are put up. Researches conducted lately show that the major reason for injury deaths among elderly folk are falls.

Falls often cause nonfatal injuries such as bruises, fractures and brain injuries necessitating hospital admission for trauma. Estimates show that over one third of the senior folk over 65 die due to falls, year after year. If an elder lives under constant fear of getting injured by falls, it can adversely affect his/her mobility and physical well being.

It is quite possible for a professional medic to be familiar with a senior citizen's tendency to fall. Elders often fall because they are weak in their lower limbs. Impaired vision, dementia, giddiness, and decreased balance also could cause falls. Contrary to popular thinking, factors like impaired vision, dizziness, decreased balance, and dementia could also cause falls. Most causes of falls are not in any way connected with health at all.

Researchers have found that it is possible to ascertain an elder with a tendency to fall. The reason for such falls is that their bodies are weak from the waist down. Falls can also occur by such factors as impaired eyesight, giddiness, lack of balance and dementia. And there are factors quite unconnected with health too. Lack of proper lighting, loose carpets and staircase rails and slippery floors too can be reason enough for falls. Things like regular exercise, safe living areas, careful intake of medicines and regular eye check-ups can prevent fatal falls too.

Last but not least, make the house really secure for the senior citizen/s living inside. Elderly folk are fair game for criminals like burglars. Secure the doors and windows firmly to prevent any possible attempt of breaking into the house. Once a person enters their house with criminal intensions, elderly people are extremely vulnerable and helpless. So don't ever let that happen. Let those elders in the evening of their lives lead protected lives from all kinds of perils, both from within and without.

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