SMART LIVING: Making your home safer and preventing falls

ST. LOUIS, Mich. (IVANHOE NEWSWIRE) - Experts are using Fall Prevention Week as an opportunity to remind the public about safety in homes.

Fall Prevention Week got underway on Monday, September 18.

According to experts, one in four Americans over the age of 65 will fall each year.

Falls are also the leading cause of fatal and non-fatal injuries for older adults. Researchers predict there will be seven deadly falls every hour by 2030.

There are easy ways to lower a person’s risk.

“It can be things like adding a grab rail or changing the way you do something like turning on a light before you walk down the stairs,” said Dr. Susan Clark, an occupational therapist at Washington University.

Other simple but effective solutions include adding railings to all stairways as well as grab bars near your shower and toilet.

Experts also recommend that you lower your chances of falling by staying physically active, discussing medication side effects with a doctor, and wearing non-sike shoes or socks.

More than three million people end up in the emergency room each year due to a fall. The cost of treating these injuries is estimated to be more than $101 billion by 2030.

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