Recognizing Fall Hazards in the Home and Community

Recognize the benefits of a positive attitude towards fall prevention Discuss common fall hazards in the home Use a personal action planner for one environmental hazard

Recognize the benefits of a positive attitude towards fall prevention

Discuss common fall hazards in the home

Use a personal action planner for one environmental hazard

Common hazards Clutter Sharp furniture Loose electrical cords

Poor lighting Raised doorway Slippery surfaces

Stairs without handrails Loose throw rugs

Other reminders to prevent falls Don’t carry too much Store frequently used items lower in pantry. Decrease clutter. No socks on a slippery floor Wear sensible shoes

Bathroom Tips Install grab bars Use a shower chair Use weaker leg to get into tub

Discuss hazards in your home Brainstorm common hazards and how to eliminate them Lets look at some “messy rooms”: Identify the common hazards in these rooms.

Discuss hazards in your home

Brainstorm common hazards and how to eliminate them

Lets look at some “messy rooms”: Identify the common hazards in these rooms.

Take a break! Roam the halls with a friend or two and see how your building rates Use this Template How safe is your building?

Take a break!

Roam the halls with a friend or two and see how your building rates

Use this Template

Record hazards in your residence Determine how possible it is to change hazards to make it safer Review own hazards & hazards of the messy rooms Determine how possible it is to change home hazards

Record hazards in your residence

Determine how possible it is to change hazards to make it safer

Review own hazards & hazards of the messy rooms

Determine how possible it is to change home hazards

Goal: Eliminate environmental fall hazard Action: Materials/physical assistance needed Possible problems Solutions: Prioritize answers to problems Use this Template

Goal: Eliminate environmental fall hazard

Action:

Materials/physical assistance needed

Possible problems

Solutions: Prioritize answers to problems

Use this Template

1 st response: Hand out front: Let arm take weight…protects the head! After fall, check how you feel…slowly move Stay put if you have problems (pain, sweating, dizziness, nausea) Use Emergency Response or 9 1 1 IF you do begin to fall…

1 st response: Hand out front:

Let arm take weight…protects the head!

After fall, check how you feel…slowly move

Stay put if you have problems (pain, sweating, dizziness, nausea)

Use Emergency Response or 9 1 1

Roll to one side (a side that doesn’t hurt) Bend knees, up on all fours Reach for stable object (table, chair, toilet) to push up on Photos courtesy of American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons

Roll to one side (a side that doesn’t hurt)

Bend knees, up on all fours

Reach for stable object (table, chair, toilet) to push up on

Evaluate why you fell Tell? Family members Doctor Change ? Environment Personal behavior

Evaluate why you fell

Tell?

Family members

Doctor

Change ?

Environment

Personal behavior

We learned how to access our surroundings for fall hazards We learned how to develop a plan to improve the safety of our environment We learned how to get up from a fall We learned what to do when we fall

We learned how to access our surroundings for fall hazards

We learned how to develop a plan to improve the safety of our environment

We learned how to get up from a fall

We learned what to do when we fall