Spring Cleaning For Seniors (NAPS)—Safe at home? For manyseniorcitizens, home can be an accident waiting to happen. Every year older Americans are injured in their homes, with most accidents occurring in the bath- room or bedroom. Ten percent of all falls cause significant injury for older individuals and are a contributing factor in 40 percent of nursing home admissions. Fortunately, many of these acci- dents are preventable. “Research suggests that one-third to one-half of homeaccidents can be prevented by modification and repair,” says Peter J. Plantes, M.D. “It only Bright idea: Install light switchesat both the top and bot- that could persist for a lifetime.” Instead of focusing on dirty win- tom of stairs for added safety. e Arrange furniture so it does not obstruct walking. their families should consider incorporating these simple safety near the doorway of every room. takes minutes to prevent an injury dows and dingy walls, seniors and steps into their spring cleaning routine, say the experts at LaurusHealth.com, a consumer health information Website: e Remove rugs and runners that tend to slide, or secure them carefully to the floor. Install sturdy handrails on both sides of every stairway. Removeelectrical cords and wires from the floor and from pathways. Keep areasfree ofclutter. Install light switches at both the top and bottom of the stairs and e Install grab bars in the tub/showerandbythetoilet. Line the bathtub and the floor beside it with non-skid mats or abrasivestrips. To find out more about senior health issues and homesafety, go to www.LaurusHealth.com. This Web site was created in associa- tion with leading hospitals and physicians to help consumers make more informed choices about their health.
