When a person ages, his or her eyesight, balance and general physical abilities will start to decline. This makes the person more prone to accidents, which can lead to serious injuries. When you have an elderly at home, or you’re working in a nursing home, it’s essential to know the most common accidents that involve the older adults.
This will enable you to take necessary measures to prevent the accident from happening. The following are the most common elderly-involved accidents that you need to remember.
1. Falls
Most cases of falls involve elderlies. This is because their motor skills are beginning to decline. This falls can result in different injuries ranging from simple lacerations to more severe cases like traumatic brain injuries.
According to statistics, one out of every three seniors aged 65 and older experiences at least one fall each year. This is also one of the leading causes of non-fatal and fatal injuries among elderlies. 20% to 30% of seniors experience moderate to severe injuries, which results in disability or extreme cases, high risk of deaths.
To prevent falls from happening, make sure that the environment is safe for older people. Always make sure that they have a safe place or area where they can stay.
2. Fires and burns
The most common causes of fire and burns are due to unsafe or malfunctioning, unregulated heat-generating devices. Usually, scalding among seniors aged 60 years and older is attributed to physical impairments. There are a higher risk of fire and burns among seniors that regularly use the kitchen.
If this incident happened in a nursing home, the nursing home could be held liable for any injuries suffered by the elderly. They can seek professional help from a nursing home injury attorney or lawyer for this matter.
One of the best ways to prevent accidents like this is by installing anti-scald devices in showers, bathtubs, and shower. Also, opt for durable appliances that have safety mechanisms that can easily be accessed, especially by older people.
3. Choking and other food-related incidents
The main concern among adults is food safety. Most adults suffer from allergies and have an impaired vision, which is why most of them are confused by product labels. The risk of choking is also higher among elderlies. Commonly, choking happens if a person laughs or talks while eating.
You can avoid these kinds of food-related accidents by putting big and readable labels in storage areas and containers. Also make sure that expiration dates, purchase date and the “best before date” are also indicated in the labels and tags.
Store vegetables, fruits and perishable foods in the refrigerator and keep it at 40 degrees Fahrenheit. This will prolong the food’s shelf life. Also take note that when you prepare food for seniors, ensure the size and texture of the ingredients are appropriate that it won’t cause choking.
Older people need more care, attention, and understanding. To ensure their safety and to improve their quality of life, we should make sure our homes are safer and less prone to accidents for our beloved elderly. The most common accidents stated above are preventable.
We just need to make sure we’re doing the right thing in keeping the older people safe on any premises, especially in our homes.
