Even a Seemingly Minor Fall Can Mean Serious Injuries for Seniors
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When was the last time you slipped and fell down? Perhaps you tripped over something you didn’t see in the hallway or the kitchen. Maybe it was a bathroom mishap and you slipped stepping out of the tub.
For most healthy, young, strong adults, even the most seemingly innocuous mishaps are often overlooked and forgotten quickly. That is, if they don’t result in serious injuries.
Elderly Care Greenville SC – Even a Seemingly Minor Fall Can Mean Serious Injuries for Seniors
However, for a person in their 70’s or 80’s, even a minor fall or something another adult might consider to be of little concern, could be devastating. For any senior who is at risk of falling and being injured in some type of mishap at home, assisted living could be a topic to discuss.
How could a senior suffer a brain injury?
Imagine your elderly mother, father, or grandparent stepping out of their bedroom in the morning. They want to go down the hall, but perhaps the rug was turned up just a little bit along the corner and their foot caught the edge.
They lose their balance, start tumbling, and bump into the wall. Maybe they feel a sting of pain shoot from their shoulder down their side and along their arm to their fingers. Yet, they can’t hold onto their balance and topple to the ground.
Gravity drags their body and it crashes onto the hard floor. Even if their body is still extremely strong, they probably wouldn’t avoid smacking their head onto that surface, too.
It doesn’t take much of an impact to cause a brain injury. Yet, for older individuals who have limited strength, that seemingly minor bump can be a devastating blow.
How could assisted living make a difference?
In most private homes there aren’t rails or handholds for people to grab onto as they move about the hallway, living room, and other areas. They may rely on a walker or cane, but there could be any number of hazards that often get overlooked.
At a quality assisted living facility, there will be all of the above, including a constant vigilance to look out for potential hazards that could trip up some elderly residents.
While a senior may be strong enough to withstand injury from a minor fall, the brain can be injured by even a light bump on the floor or corner of a cabinet. It’s not worth taking the risk if a senior is living alone, experiencing muscle loss, or has any concerns about his or her ability to maintain balance.
