Watch Your Step

25 Jan

Preventing Falls By Changing Your Behaviour

What causes people to fall? Strategies to prevent falls
Overstepping stair treads

(the most common misstep on home stairs) or twisting your feet or body on relatively short treads or windings stairways

 n   Be cautious, deliberate and not rushed.

n   Hold on to the handrails.
Rushing, especially on steep, curved or cramped stairs n   Take time and be extra cautious, especially where there is a transition between angled, shorter treads on winding stairways and rectangular treads.
Wearing loose slippers or other footwear n   Always wear shoes or slippers that fit properly and that have a non-slip sole.
Unintended use of stairs in your home, for example, by vulnerable users, such as small children or older persons with dementia n   Secure gates, at top and bottom of stair flights, to prevent unintended use of the stairs.
Unfamiliarity with the

environment. For example, visiting a relative or friend’s home where there is one or more steps between floors that are at slightly different levels

 n   Take extra time when using an unfamiliar stairway and be especially wary

of all places where changes of floor level are possible—especially with only one or two steps in settings that are visually distracting.
Lack of attention, for example, when going down stairs; some people fall at the second last step because they think they have already reached the bottom of

the stairs

 n   Avoid being distracted when using a stairway.

n   Make sure that your perception of the stairway is accurate, especially in beginning or ending your use of a stairway.
Poor or impaired vision n   Remove your reading glasses when you climb up or down stairs.

n   If you have prescription eyeglasses for distance vision, always wear them when using the stairs.

n   Take extra care when wearing bifocal or progressive eyeglasses. Adjust the position of your glasses or your head so you can see the stairs clearly.
Unnecessary use of stairs, especially under difficult circumstances (for example, rushing up or down stairs

to answer the telephone, use the washroom or answer the doorbell)

 n   Take your time when using the stairs, particularly when going down the stairs.

n   Install a telephone on each floor or carry a portable telephone.

n   Install a bathroom on each floor.

n   Install an intercommunication system which you can use from anywhere in your home.
Side effects of medication or alcohol n   Make sure you know the effects of medicines. If a medicine can cause dizziness, be extra careful using the stairs.

n   Even one alcoholic beverage can affect your balance and perception:

be extra careful on stairs if you’ve had a drink.
Not using lights n   If stairs are darker than surrounding areas, switch on stair lights.
Not holding the handrails n   When walking up or down stairs, always hold the handrails, or have at least one hand within easy reach of a handrail.
Carrying objects on the stairs n   Never carry objects, such as large laundry baskets, on stairs, especially

if they require use of both hands or block your view of the steps. Instead, consider using a laundry bag, for example, that can be carried in one hand, dragged or thrown down the stairs.

n   One hand should always be left free to hold on to a handrail—and for some more vulnerable stair users, both hands should always be available for handrail use, especially when going down stairs.
Cleaning the stairs without taking proper precautions n   Use small, lightweight tools or equipment such as a hand-held, cordless vacuum cleaner and always keep one hand on, or available for, the handrail.

n   If you polish uncarpeted stairs, always use non-glare, non-skid wax.

n   If necessary, have someone else clean the stairs.
Leaving, or storing, objects on steps or landings (an important problem that is easily avoided) n   Do not place any objects on steps, and make sure that any objects on landings do not distract or obstruct.

Contact your REALTOR at Coldwell Banker Vantage Realty for more tips and advice on your safety in your home.

Reference