When you visit a loved one who ages in place you want the trip to go well but emergencies do happen, such as a fall and you should know how to prepare for when they occur. Home care providers can be a great asset for your mom who chooses to age in place, and if anything happens while you’re not there it means someone can call for help. Besides home care services, there are also buttons and emergency cameras that can be placed in a senior home to help monitor their lives.
You may be visiting your mom and when she falls you may not know what to do. Unfortunately, this does happen. There are a few things you should do and know when your senior parent falls. It may not be safe to move them right away and you will need to call for assistance and try to keep your mom calm.
What To Do When a Senior Falls
Having a Fall Response Strategy (FRS) in place enables you or another caregiver to be prepared and swift if your elderly parent falls. An FRS specifies what you should do after a senior parent’s fall and indicates under what circumstances particular activities are required. It is essential to have a strategy in place in case your parent falls again. Thus, you or another caregiver, will not need to panic or maybe do anything that might be detrimental to your parent. However, the most critical piece of advice to remember is not to immediately relocate a senior who has fallen. Depending on how the scenario is evaluated, moving them might worsen the problem.
Here is an example of an FRS to complete when an elderly parent falls:
- Call 911 if your mom is unresponsive.
- Never move your mom or try to keep her still.
- Learn how to check vital signs to report over the phone.
- Check for bleeding and injuries.
- Never leave them until a medical examiner is present.
The best thing that you can do is limit the possibility of your parent falling. This can be easier said than done. Here are some ways you can limit the possibility of falling.
Home Care Aides can Report on Their Medication Reactions
You may also assist your elderly parents in avoiding future falls by monitoring their medicine use. Several drugs might alter a senior’s balance in either a favorable or bad way. If they start falling a lot after a specific type of medication make sure you take notes of which kind and how much they’re taking.
Make Home Changes
Some houses will need to be modified when a senior chooses to age in place. Door frames may need to be widened, the senior may need to move to the bottom floor, or non-slip flooring may need to be added in certain places.
Your parents have undoubtedly lived in their home for a considerable amount of time, which means they have acquired a significant amount of personal items. The senior will be able to walk about more easily and without fear of stumbling over superfluous stuff if the home is decluttered.
