Fall Prevention: 10 Tips to Avoid Falls

Fall Prevention: 10 Tips to Prevent Falls

Ein falscher Schritt und schnell ist es passiert, kurz gestolpert und hingefallen. Die meisten Stürze laufen glimpflich ab, sie können jedoch auch zu ernsten Folgen führen: Prellungen, Verstauchungen, Knochenbrüche, Hüftfrakturen. Ältere und pflegebedürftige Menschen sind besonders gefährdet. „Ein Sturz kann weitreichende Folgen haben“, sagt Pflege-Expertin Michaela Pulina-Mathein aus Nidderau. Sie ist als Pflegedienstleitung, Gutachterin tätig sowie selbstständige Pflegeberaterin für FamPLUS und schult Pflegende zur Sturzprävention.

Falls and fall-related injuries are among the most common events that restrict the independence and mobility of elderly people living at home. "Falls rarely have just one cause; frequently, various factors come together," explains the nursing expert. These can be divided into factors that:

• the person concerned,
• concern the living environment
• pertain to medication

Important to know: Various illnesses can increase the risk of falling. These include, for example, cardiovascular diseases, dizziness, high blood pressure, dementia, Parkinson's disease, and depression. Discuss medical and therapeutic treatment with your doctor. You can also get information from care counseling.

1. Keep moving

The most important tip for fall prevention is: exercise," says Michaela Pulina-Mathein. Those who are regularly active train their muscles and improve their balance – and that is exactly what is required to be able to walk safely. The care expert advises, "There are also targeted exercise programs for fall prevention." Providers include sports clubs or health insurance companies. The Federal Center for Health has developed an exercise program that you can find here. https://www.gesund-aktiv-aelter-werden.de/service/materialien/sturzpraevention/

At least as important as muscle and balance training is everyday movement. “Getting up from the couch and going to the kitchen or standing on one leg, these are small exercises that can be easily integrated into everyday life,” says Michaela Pulina-Mathein. “If you do this 20 times, that’s already good.” A good balance exercise for in between: sitting down and lifting your toes or just walking barefoot. The more active the everyday life, the more effective.

2. Alleviating Fears

Anyone who has fallen before often fears falling again – and this increases their own risk of falling. "A vicious circle often develops," explains the care expert. Out of fear of falling again, affected individuals move less. This, in turn, leads to increased insecurity. The lack of movement decreases muscle strength and balance, which in turn increases the risk of falling. If your relative withdraws and is reluctant to move, try to create incentives for movement and be active together. Discuss with the family doctor and/or care staff what might help your relative. 

3. Suitable clothing and shoes

A tripping hazard can be overly long pants or skirts. Oversized shoes or open slippers also increase the risk of falling. Especially when things need to be done quickly, like when your relative rushes to the door or needs to step over a threshold, it's easy to get caught on clothing or trip over it. Climbing stairs can also become risky. Expert's tip: "Always ensure clothing fits properly and have pants shortened if necessary." Shoes should provide a secure grip; ideally, closed house slippers are best.

4. Risk of Falling Due to Incontinence

People who suffer from incontinence have an increased risk of falling. This is because they often hurry to the toilet very quickly. "Choose clothing that is easy to put on and take off," recommends the care expert. Discuss with your general practitioner or nursing staff what options are available (continence training, pads, medication).

5. Get vision impairments and hearing loss treated

Anyone who doesn't see well has an increased risk of falling. Expert tip: "Have your relative's eyesight regularly checked and adjust the glasses' strength." Make sure that your relative wears glasses even for short distances and that a spare pair of glasses is available.

Hearing loss also increases the risk of falls, as the sense of balance is often impaired. Regular hearing checks and treatment with hearing aids can reduce the risk of falls.

6. Regularly review medications

Certain medications can impair attention and responsiveness, such as sleeping pills, sedatives, or antidepressants. Possible side effects should be discussed before your relative receives a new medication. Correct intake (dosage and timing) is important. Good to know: Medications can also affect each other. "Have a doctor and/or pharmacist regularly check which medications are being taken, how they interact, and if there are alternative preparations," recommends Michaela Pulina-Mathein.

7. Install handrails in the hallway and bathroom

A helpful measure to minimize the risk of falling at home is the use of grab bars. "It's important to have sturdy bars in the hallway, on stairs, and in the bathroom next to the toilet and in the tub," says Pulina-Mathein. Ensure that handrails and grab bars are easily accessible and securely fastened to provide support and stability. You can often finance such measures through long-term care insurance. Find out about this in advance and discuss it with the care counseling service, which can advise you specifically on your situation.

8. Ensure good lighting

Particular attention is paid by the care expert to the lighting in the living environment. "With good lighting, obstacles, steps, and unevenness can be better identified. This significantly reduces the risk of falls," she says. Her tip: Use motion detectors or night lights in the hallway and on stairs. If your relative goes to the toilet at night, the motion detectors automatically turn on the light and illuminate the path. Night lights ensure that it is sufficiently bright in the dark. This reduces the risk of falls and helps your relative to navigate safely and independently through the living spaces.

Carpets and other tripping hazards

Carpets and rugs are a common tripping hazard," says Michaela Pulina-Mathein. If carpets are wavy or not laid properly, it's easy to trip over them. Cables lying around or slippery floors can also increase the risk of falling.

Here’s how you can minimize the risks: remove loose rugs or very thick carpets; you can also fix carpet runners and carpet edges with a non-slip mat or non-slip strips. Cords should not be left lying around. If the floor is slippery, a thin, non-slip mat can be helpful. If your relative uses a walker, they should practice using it, preferably on different types of floors.

Use technical aids

Technical applications can help minimize the risk of falling. For example, you can install motion sensors in the living room and bedroom to detect falls early and trigger an alarm. Fall detectors worn as bracelets or necklaces allow for quick notification in the event of a fall. Such bracelets are sometimes also part of a home emergency call system. “In many cases, the nursing care insurance covers the costs fully or partially,” says the care expert. Floor mats with pressure sensors may also be suitable for the bedroom. They detect when your relative leaves or falls out of bed and raise an alarm. “The sensors may not be able to prevent someone from falling, but they ensure that support and help arrive faster,” explains Pulina-Mathein. She advises getting specific information about technical aids in care counseling. “This way, you can find out what can best help you in your individual care situation.”

Source Length:

Interview with Michaela Pulina-Mathein

Expert Standard Fall Prevention in Nursing:

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Avoid Falls from the Center for Quality in Care:

https://www.pflege-praevention.de/tipps/stuerze-pflegebeduerftige/

Fall prevention by the Federal Center for Health Education:

https://www.gesund-aktiv-aelter-werden.de/service/materialien/sturzpraevention/

The Carpet Discussion:

https://alzheimerundwir.com/living-dementia-carpet/

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