Don't let your parents trip: 10 Steps to protect your parents from doing the accidental floor hug

I just had a chat with my mom in Michigan- she's turning 80 tomorrow! She recently returned from a vacation, and while on vacation, she stumbled over a 2-inch lip on the floor and fell on her left knee and ribcage. Thankfully, she didn't break any bones, but it got me thinking- this could have been much worse. I mean... what if she fell backward and hit her head, or broke her hip?

Did you know that one in four adults over 65 takes a tumble each year? (Older Adult Falls Data, 2023).

Falls are a serious concern when it comes to our aging parents. The CDC states that in the United States, over 14 million, or one in four, adults ages 65 and older, report falling each year(Older Adult Falls Data, 2023). It's a leading cause of injury among older adults, and many of these falls happen at home.

As a gerontology nurse, I've seen firsthand the impact falls can have on seniors and their families. In some cases, sudden family dynamic shifts after an injurious, life-altering fall can break families apart. Nobody ever thinks their mom or dad is going to fall… until it’s too late.

Falls account for a whopping 10% of emergency department visits and 6% of hospitalizations, and a large number of these happen right at home. (Morris et al., 2016).

Why do our parents take the unscheduled descent so often? Falls in older adults aren't usually due to one thing, but a combination of risk factors all ganging up simultaneously. So, things like chronic medical conditions, medication side effects, hydration status, and environmental hazards all come into play. And when you pair this with certain behaviors like forgetting to ask for help when getting up to walk, suddenly, gravity has a new favorite target.(Vaishya & Vaish, 2020) So, let’s fall right into it! Here are a few ways to minimize the risk of falls in your parents' home:

10 steps to keep your parents from doing the accidental floor hug

1. Let’s Get Lit

No…. I don’t mean go blaze it up with Mom and Dad… I’m talking about making sure there is adequate lighting in their home. As our parents age, their eyes need a lot more light to see clearly. So, what you can do is make their home safer by adding brighter light bulbs, plugging in nightlights, and installing motion-sensor lights in hallways and bathrooms. If anything, remember this formula:

Low vision + low lighting = Slomo Timber!!!

2. Declutter Like You’re Marie Kondo With a Mission

Next time you visit Mom and Dad, check for clutter that could cause a fall and, with their permission, remove it. The idea is to make the pathways they use as safe as they can be. Common clutter trip hazards tend to be shoes, extension cords, magazine piles, and generally things that can be thrown away. But let me make this clear: what you may think is trash may be a sentimental treasure to them, so always ask their permission before throwing something out.

3. Forget About Flip Flops

Or at least make sure they have non-slip soles. Encourage sturdy, well-fitted shoes- even inside the house. You don’t need to go out and get them the latest Jordans or anything, just something comfortable and sturdy with nonskid soles would be ideal.

4. Grab Bars Are Besties

Toilet. Shower. Beside the tub. These are must-have zones for grab bars. You can get decent, renter-friendly suction ones if you don’t want to drill.

5. Toss the Throw Rugs

They slide, they bunch up, and they’re just waiting to snag a toe. If the rug’s not tacked down, (with their permission) it’s gotta go. Or at least secure it down with double-sided rug tape or non-slip pads. It’s those corners that curl up and become a trip hazard. I know…I know… It’s a family heirloom… but you’re gonna have to decide if displaying the family heirloom is worth a possible trip to the Emergency Room or even worse, an extended staycation at Hotel not-so-California with nurses.

6. Keep On Movin’ , Don’t Stop

Exercise keeps the legs strong and the balance sharp. Chair yoga, tai chi, or even a short daily walk, if not contraindicated by their doctor, can help maintain their strength and balance. 

7. Put the ‘See’ in Senior

Even small vision changes can throw off your parents' depth perception. If your parents are shuffling more than stepping, it could be their eyes- not just “old age.” When was the last time they had their eyes checked? If it’s been a while, it might be a good idea to encourage them or better yet, help them make and get to that eye appointment. Doing so will help them visualize and avoid obtacles before trippin’ on them.

8. Med Check Time

Some medications cause dizziness, low blood pressure, or drowsiness, and even more when combined. Ask your parents’ pharmacist or primary care doctor to do a fall-risk med review. Say it with me: Fall-Risk-Med-Review...This can help determine if their meds or any combos of them are making your folks more prone to falling. You might need to help them make this call, depending on how comfortable they feel navigating the health system over the phone or through the hospital system’s internet portal. One good way to gauge if your parents are techy at all might be evaluating how easily and frequently they post on social media. I mean... if they can post pictures on social media without your help, they can probably order their meds over the phone or through the internet by themselves. But some parents may not be as technically advanced. So, if that's your parents, reach out and give them a helping hand.

9. Bathroom Makeover

It’s the most common fall zone in the house. Non-slip mats in the shower, raised toilet seats, and grab bars (again!) can make a huge difference.(Stevens et al., 2014). The bathroom and pathways that lead to it are high-traffic walking areas, so we need to clear them of clutter to reduce the risk of taking a spill.

10. Check the Tech-nique

Explore the current tech out there to help decrease falls. Things like video monitoring systems, bed alarms, and floor alarms work well, and when paired with mobile phone notifications, this can definitely help decrease the risk of falls.

Let’s Not Wait for them to take the surprise trip to the kitchen floor.

You don't want their first fall to be the one that lands them in the hospital with a fractured hip or leads to lasting mobility issues. I know, bringing this stuff up with your parents isn't always easy. But if you keep the convo light like,“Hey Mom, let’s make your place a little more brighter and fall-proof”, it might go over better.

And if you're a Gen Xer like me? We're sandwiched right now- helping our kids grow up while helping our parents grow older. It can be tough, but taking steps to help your folks decrease the risk of an unexpected gravity check is one of the best ways to keep them healthy, safe, and living independently at home for as long as possible (Pynoos et al., 2010).

References

American Psychological Association 7th edition

1. Morris, J. N., Howard, E., Steel, K., Berg, K., Tchalla, A., Munankarmi, A., & David, D. (2016). Strategies to reduce the risk of falling: Cohort study analysis with 1-year follow-up in community dwelling older adults. BMC Geriatrics, 16(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12877-016-0267-5

2. Older Adult Falls Data. (2023). https://www.cdc.gov/falls/data/index.html

3. Pynoos, J., Steinman, B. A., & Nguyen, A. Q. D. (2010). Environmental Assessment and Modification as Fall-Prevention Strategies for Older Adults [Review of Environmental Assessment and Modification as Fall-Prevention Strategies for Older Adults]. Clinics in Geriatric Medicine, 26(4), 633. Elsevier BV. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cger.2010.07.001

4. Smith, M. L. (2017). Reported Systems Changes and Sustainability Perceptions of Three State Departments of Health Implementing Multi-Faceted Evidence-Based Fall Prevention Efforts. Frontiers in Public Health, 5. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2017.00120

5. Stevens, J. A., Mahoney, J., & Ehrenreich, H. (2014). Circumstances and outcomes of falls among high risk community-dwelling older adults. Injury Epidemiology, 1(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/2197-1714-1-5

6. Vaishya, R., & Vaish, A. (2020). Falls in Older Adults are Serious [Review of Falls in Older Adults are Serious]. Indian Journal of Orthopaedics, 54(1), 69. Springer Science+Business Media. https://doi.org/10.1007/s43465-019-00037-x

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