Independence is something to be cherished in one’s senior years. It’s one of the main reasons The Living Center came into being–maintaining privacy, independence, and dignity in a senior apartment environment! But it can also be made difficult by inaccessibility in the home or falls, which are scary for seniors and their families. If you’re an adult over 65 living on your own, it’s never a bad idea to go through a fall risk checklist with your doctor or the ones you trust most to assess your health and risk level.

If you find yourself disoriented or wandering often, or if you have a history of falls in the past 3 months, it’s smart to make sure you don’t have sharp corners, loose cables, a lack of railings, etc., in your home. Add that extra support to your living space!

Furthermore, if you know your vision and balance have deteriorated over the years, or if your blood pressure has been known to drop suddenly when you change between lying or standing, talk to your medical professional. Discuss the daily medications you take that could also affect your fall risk.

Simple things you can do around the house to prevent falls are to ensure that your furniture doesn’t slide easily and that any carpeting or rugs are secured on the floor. Keep important things stored around your eye or chest level, where they’re easier to reach so that you don’t have to bend down constantly to retrieve them.

If you suffer a fall and are alone at home, take a moment to assess your body and any injuries. If you think you can get up on your own, it’s still best to rest for a moment on your side before crawling to a support object. If you don’t feel able, get help by calling 911 or using an alert necklace such as LifeAlert.

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