Osteoporosis And Fall Prevention: Your Home Safety Checklist

The Takeaway If you have osteoporosis, falling can increase your chance of having a bone fracture. The risk of falling can be greatly reduced by making simple modifications in your home, such as clearing clutter, improving lighting, and keeping pathways clear. More extensive modifications, such as remodeling the shower or installing light switches in high-risk areas, may also reduce your risk of a fall. Consider working with a physical and occupational therapist, who can recommend strength-building exercises teach you how to get up after a fall. Your Room-by-Room Safety Audit Room-by-Room Safety Audit Most falls occur indoors — so your first goal is to identify some fall risks around your home and reduce the dangers with thoughtful prevention strategies. “Simple changes can make daily movement safer and help avoid injuries,” says Dr. Singer.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629d80b652b-d254-420a-8a5f-8e75d119bc45e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e59762985e5c192-98f5-42a4-ae00-187b1f2de464e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976290ded1d92-1230-4817-bfbf-3aea9cf765b6 The Living Room You probably walk through the living room quite a bit, so you should try to remove any clutter from the floor, as well as tripping hazards such as throw rugs and electrical cords, says James Pang, DPT , of Pang Physical Therapy in San Diego. Other suggestions include: Keep paths wide and free of clutter so you have plenty of space to walk. Keep electrical cords near walls or behind furniture and away from walking paths. Space out your furniture so you don’t need to maneuver through tight spaces. Make sure your sofas and chairs are at a comfortable height for you to easily sit down and stand up. Use enough lighting so you can easily see the floor, day or night, when walking. Replace burned-out light bulbs right away and install a light switch at the entrance of the room if you don’t have one. Keep items you use often at waist level or within easy reach. Remove all loose carpets and area rugs or make sure they are secured to the floor with skid-proof backing. The Kitchen Between slippery floors, cluttered countertops, and high cabinets, the kitchen is another risky area for a fall. To stay safe, consider the following tips.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629226f3aab-2bf0-4baf-946c-e6dadbfbe8f3 Keep frequently used items within reach (usually waist-level) to avoid overreaching or the need to use a step stool, says Singer. If you do use a step stool, make sure it is sturdy and has a handrail on top. Wipe up spills from the floor as soon as possible. Keep countertops relatively clutter-free, with only the most commonly used items easily accessible. Remove the floor mats or use one with nonskid backing. Avoid using floor waxes or high-gloss polishes, which can make the floor very slippery. Use a “reach stick” — a special grabbing tool you can buy at a hardware or medical-supply store — to reach objects that are just out of reach. The Bedroom About 25 percent of falls that result in ER visits occur in the bedroom, possibly because people may overlook the fall hazards in this room and tend not to use assistive devices there, according to some research.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e59762993a1da90-3fef-4da5-a1f9-d049ef0e4e8e Arrange bedroom furniture so there are clear, wide pathways, especially between the bed and bathroom. Keep clutter off the floor and power cords against the wall, and give yourself space to walk. Keep essential items, such as your phone or glasses, within easy reach. Use night lights and install light switches close to your bed. Keep a flashlight on your nightstand in case the power goes out and you need to get up. Set up your bed at a comfortable height, so it is easy for you to get in and out. Avoid throw rugs or small area carpets, or use ones with nonskid backing. The Bathroom The bathroom is another common place for falls, in part because the floors can be slippery from water spills and slick, tiled surfaces. (The precarious job of climbing in and out of the bathtub or shower doesn’t help, either.) Still, there are ways to make the bathroom safer.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976292c0a982a-2636-4789-8300-00ca589a465de60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e59762907c407c3-8a03-4c8a-a11d-3b902468b986 Use anti-slip surfaces in the shower, says Dr. Pang. Place nonskid mats by the tub, shower, and sink. Use a grab bar in the bathtub or shower, says Pang. Leave a light on in the bathroom at night or use a night light. Clear clutter out of the main pathway (keep the wastebasket under the sink or against a wall). Use a shower chair if you feel unsteady on your feet while in the shower. Consider getting a raised toilet seat, which makes it easier to sit down and stand up. You can also purchase one with armrests for extra support and stability. If you have to step over a tub wall to get in and out of the shower or bath, consider replacing it with a walk-in shower. If you want to keep the bathtub, use one with a lower wall and add built-in seating. Stairways Stairs account for a significant number of falls, with one study finding that, on average, about one million people are treated in the ER for stair-related injuries each year.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629227052db-fa34-4e7b-8029-c0017fb134a0e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629ee822642-93a7-476d-9048-d871c37740ac Consider these safety measures when using a staircase, both indoors and outdoors. Make sure there are secure handrails on both sides of the staircase and always hold the handrail when going up or down. Don’t carry anything large enough to block your view of the stairs or heavy enough to make you lose your balance. Have light switches at the top and bottom of stairs, in entryways, and on each end of a long hallway. Make sure the lighting is bright enough to light up the area, and change burned-out bulbs right away. Clear the clutter from the stairs and in the entryway. If you remove your shoes when entering your home, keep them clear of the door or stored in a shoe rack (shoes are easy to trip over). If the stairs are carpeted, make sure the carpet is firmly secured to the floor. For hardwood or tiled stairs, use no-slip strips to add traction. Keep the stairs in good shape by immediately repairing loose carpeting, broken steps, or wobbly handrails. The same goes for the stairs leading up to your front door. Make sure the outside entryway into your house is well lit so you can see where you are walking. Home Safety Tips and Tools Home Safety Tips and Tools Here are other measures you can take to stay safe and prevent falls.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e59762914494d50-4c16-4e02-9131-0f1c77375e4d Use good lighting. “Good lighting is often an overlooked tool in fall prevention,” says Singer. “Motion-sensor nightlights, accessible light switches, and supportive, well-fitting shoes with rubber help reduce falls in everyday situations.” Avoid walking around in socks and floppy slippers, especially on hardwood or slick floors. Keep your walkways clear, especially the ones leading to and from a light switch. Consider swapping standard light switches for illuminated ones, so you don’t have to grope for them in the dark. If you have pets, know where they are whenever you are standing or walking. This is especially true for cats and small dogs, as they can be easy to trip over. Resources We Trust Mayo Clinic: Fall Prevention: Simple Tips to Prevent FallsCenters for Disease Control and Prevention: Preventing Falls and Hip FracturesNational Institute on Aging: Preventing Falls at Home: Room by RoomBone Health and Osteoporosis Foundation: Preventing FallsOsteoporosis Canada: The Importance of Fall Prevention in Reducing the Risk of a Broken Bone Where to Find Help Where to Find Help Fall prevention goes beyond making home modifications. To prevent a fall, “people should also review their medications with their physician [to see if they can make you dizzy or sleepy], exercise regularly, and have their vision, hearing, and balance checked,” says Pang. You may also want to recruit the help of a licensed physical or occupational therapist, who can help you identify other fall risks in your home or during your daily activities. “Ideally, they can make home visits, so their advice can be curtailed specific to your home environment," says Pang. Among other skills, they can also teach you how to get off the floor if you do fall and provide you with individualized exercises to boost your strength and mobility. Occupational therapists can also help you avoid falls by teaching you safer ways to move and position yourself during everyday activities. For example, they can teach you how to stand and sit safely and how to navigate stairs and uneven flooring.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976293164185a-201c-432d-9229-2d1f5f6b11d4e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976298c88ba90-4618-44ef-bc78-d3ee4bc91965 Ask your doctor for a referral. Other actions you can take include: Begin a regular exercise program to increase strength and build muscle, which can help prevent a fall. Improve your balance with exercises like tai chi and yoga. Have your vision checked at least once a year. If you are taking any medications, either prescription or over the counter, ask your doctor or pharmacist to review them to see if they are making you dizzy or sleepy.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629dc9e34c8-9328-4ad1-8e01-7c9e110f34d6e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976290b943ae3-fcaf-461a-91a5-08b58eadf8b4 A fall can happen to anyone, anytime. But if you have osteoporosis , even a minor fall can be enough to cause a fracture . The riskiest area for a fall isn’t necessarily an uneven sidewalk or a grocery store aisle. Research shows that about 80 percent of falls that result in an emergency room visit happen at home, especially in the bedroom and on the stairs.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976299679f32c-3f81-430f-a134-cf47b5ab417d Once you know what to be aware of, you can start shoring up areas of your home that might be fall hazards — which is “one of the most effective ways to protect your independence and maintain mobility if you have osteoporosis,” says Andrea Singer, MD , the chief medical officer at the Bone Health & Osteoporosis Foundation. Here’s what to do in each room of your home.