FSL wants caregivers to ensure homes are safe for their loved ones.  Each year thousands of older Americans fall at home, making falls the leading cause of both fatal and nonfatal injuries.  Falls often occur due to avoidable hazards that are easy to overlook and fix.

Below are a few tips to ensure your home is safe for your aging loved one:

•             Remove rugs or use non-slip backing to ensure rugs don’t move

•             Keep walkways clear of baskets, blankets, books, etc.

•             Coil cords from a lamp or telephone, so you don’t trip over them

•             Improve the lighting in each room to give your loved one better lighting

•             Install grab bars in the bathroom and shower for extra support

•             Handrails on both sides of stairs, inside and out

•             Wheelchair accessible bedroom, bathroom and kitchen on the first floor

•             Sliding shelves in cupboards, lazy susan in corner cabinet

•             36″ wide doors to accommodate for walkers and wheelchairs; Larger door hinges are a great and affordable solution.

FSL’s Private Care Management program assists in recognizing possibilities for creative change, while providing personalized, professional services to seniors and their families. FSL can also assist in identifying resources, discovering care options and helping you make informed decisions. We know that every person is an individual, with specific strengths and challenges. So, we begin by listening carefully and honoring each unique situation.

Our team can work with you to complete a 12-point home safety / fall risk evaluation. We will assess you or your loved one’s needs, while identifying barriers and seeking out creative solutions, create and implement a care plan with input from loved ones and healthcare professionals and much more.  To get started, call us today at 602-285-1800 or visit http://www.fsl.org/health-wellness/care-by-design-coordination to learn more.