Fall Prevention for Seniors: 8 Methods Used by Senior Communities

It is more important now than ever that senior communities strive to protect their residents from undue harm. Many falls can be prevented, and simple steps can help seniors stay safe. Here are ways senior living communities carry out injury prevention for older people:

1. They Encourage Physical Activity

Senior communities generally schedule activities that encourage exercise and movement. Many also have fitness centers on site that their residents can use. Staying active can reduce the risk of falling by building muscle strength and balance.

Not all fall risk factors are easy to prevent. However, regarding biological factors like weak muscles, lowered agility, and less balance, research shows that exercise can help. Some helpful exercises include:

• Strength training that can counteract muscle weakness
• Exercises that improve gait
• Balance exercises
• Resistance training focused on the legs

Other important factors, in addition to the type of exercise, are exercising long enough during each session and exercising consistently.

2. They Provide a Safe Environment

While a senior’s home may have a variety of risk factors for falling, senior communities are designed and maintained with safety in mind. They eliminate stairs, which can be a fall hazard for seniors. 

They also ensure proper lighting in all areas, and they take measures to help avoid tripping and slipping. For instance, communities generally:

• Have non-slip surfaces in bathrooms
• Have night lights guiding residents to the bathroom
• Remove clutter in common areas
• Take away tripping hazards
• Use rugs secured to the floor or with slip-resistant backing
• Install grab bars, roll-in showers, and shower chairs

3. They Ensure Consistent, Nutritious Meals

Independent living communities, assisted living communities, and skilled nursing facilities provide regular meals for their residents. These are meals that are designed with adequate nutrition in mind, helping to maintain proper hydration, strength, and energy in residents. Proper nutrition even helps to build and strengthen muscles and bones.

Keeping the body strong and healthy can cut down on falls. There are numerous ways senior communities can help:

• Focusing on specific nutrients to reduce fall risk: This can include getting enough protein, calcium, and vitamin D.
• Ensuring the older adult is eating: Seniors may fail to take proper care of themselves if left on their own at home, skipping meals or eating simple meals like toast alone. This could lead to the person feeling weak and lacking strength.
• Providing the correct number of calories: This helps each resident stay at the right weight for their body, which reduces the fall risk that comes with being under or overweight.

4. They Manage Medications

One of the benefits of senior living communities is that they can help manage medications for their residents. This process ensures that your loved one takes their medications on schedule and that their prescriptions are refilled.

Nonetheless, some drug side effects could contribute to falling, including low blood pressure when standing, reduced alertness, slower reactions, and drowsiness. Some drug combinations also bring an increased risk. Senior communities are aware of this risk and monitor side effects.

5. They Respond to Falls

Despite precautions, falls do still happen. In these cases, senior communities are well equipped to respond to them with tools and procedures in place. When a fall occurs, pull cords, pendants, and motion-tracking devices can be used to call for help.

While we don’t want falls to happen, it is generally better for them to take place in a senior community compared to your aging parent falling on their own at home. In addition to the tools used to alert for help in a community, there are staff members and a community to check on your loved one. 

Even for residents living in a more independent community, the staff would know if the person didn’t show up for regular meals.

6. They Provide Education

Senior living communities want to ensure the health and safety of their residents, so they’re committed to educating residents and their family members on steps they can take to help. When your parents enter a community like this, they’ll likely talk to you about gifts and decor you might bring to your parents to help ensure these items are not contributing to a fall risk.

Senior communities also educate residents on steps they can take to reduce their own likelihood of falling, such as getting the right footwear, walking safely, and reporting hazards. They also train their staff to understand risks and what they can do to help prevent older falls.

7. They Carry Out Risk Assessments

A senior community would regularly check on your parents’ overall health and medications. They should ensure that your parents have regular eye exams, hearing tests, and other testing or treatments that can help them stay as safe as possible.

These risk assessments contribute to individualized care plans that focus on each resident’s health and wellness. They can help each person with their individual fall risks, tailored to their health status, chronic illnesses or conditions, and medications.

The staff in senior living communities also regularly inspect the environment to ensure seniors can move around safely. For instance, they may check for loose rugs and electrical cords across walkways to keep areas clear and maintained.

8. They Provide Access to Therapies

Many communities offer their residents access to an occupational therapist, a physical therapist, and other beneficial therapies and health care providers. These services could help by:

• Addressing mobility and strength problems that could contribute to falls
• Suggesting tailored exercises for each person
• Focusing on additional ways for each person to reduce their risk of falls

Taking the Next Steps

If you’re questioning the safety of your aging loved one at home, it may be time to consider a senior living option. These environments remove many risks of older adult falls through careful planning, prevention, and procedures.

CarePatrol’s mission is to help older adults and their families find safer living options. We conduct thorough Care Discoveries that help us evaluate an older adult’s need for assisted living, memory care, or in-home care. For some, the evaluation suggests it’s time to move to a senior community.

If that’s the case, one of our advisors can help you find a community that will keep your parents safe while fitting their needs and wants. Call your local CarePatrol senior care advisor today!