5 Practical Tips for Fall Prevention in Respite Homes & Private Homes

The risks of falling can be severe, especially for the elderly or individuals with medical conditions or mobility impairments. While hospitals should always have nursing staff on hand to promptly assist any patients who have fallen (or are at risk of falling), respite homes and private homes may have fewer opportunities to provide proactive and reactive assistance.

Any respite home, nursing home, or private home where elderly individuals and/or individuals prone to falling reside should be adequately prepared to provide prompt assistance. Furthermore, many proactive tips can form a greater fall prevention strategy to safeguard residents. Below are some helpful tips for fall prevention in respite homes and private homes:

• Fall Protection Clothing and Bodywear

One of the simplest and most cost-effective ways to reduce the risks of falling is to provide any risk-prone residents with fall protection clothing and bodywear. This includes slip-resistant socks, which can be essential on flooring where slipping and falling can be hazardous without adequate footwear, as well as devices such as hip protectors. This latter type of bodywear typically covers the hips of individuals with osteoporosis or other mobility impairments that make them prone to falling, absorbing the impact of any falls should they occur.

• Fall Impact Mats

Another cost-effective solution that is also quite common in nursing homes is laying a fall impact mat at the bedside. Fall impact mats are designed to absorb the shock and impact of a fall should the individual fall out of their bed, or as is common, fall when transitioning to/from the bed such as from a hoist or wheelchair.

Fall impact mats are often designed with a trapezoidal shape so that wheelchair users can ramp up onto the mat and minimise the distance needed to transition to/from the bed.

• Fall Alarms

Even with the above solutions, falls can still occur in respite homes and private homes and reactive solutions are necessary so that a nurse or respite home staff can respond immediately. Bedside fall alarms are commonly used in nursing homes and hospitals and can be installed at or adjacent to the bed to alert the nursing station or any nearby staff of a fall so that they can respond as soon as possible.

• Guard Rails & Support Bars

Every respite home and private home with residents prone to falling should be adequately covered with guard rails and support bars to facilitate movement from room to room.

It is also worth considering installing support bars in rooms where falls are excessively common such as the bathroom. Within bathrooms, many other solutions can reduce falls such as raised toilet seats and shower commodes. By cleverly using some or all of these types of solutions, homes can be made a lot safer by reducing the risks of falling, particularly in areas where slipping and falling tend to be the most common.

• Trained & Responsive Staff

All of the above tips can form an effective fall prevention strategy that protects residents and improves their quality of life, but it is still essential to have trained and responsive staff on hand to assist individuals with impairment mobilities as well as to respond to any falls that may occur. Professional support workers also provide human connection for individuals that can greatly enhance their self-esteem and general well-being.

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