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(HealthNewsDigest.com)-Taking steps to prevent falls in the home can help keep seniors safe-particularly those with vision loss.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than one-third of adults 65 and older fall each year in the U.S., making falls the leading cause of serious injury among older Americans. And people with visual impairments are almost twice as likely to fall as others.
Age-related eye conditions such as macular degeneration and glaucoma can alter depth perception, visual acuity, peripheral vision and susceptibility to glare, as well as the ability to adapt quickly from light to dark situations. These symptoms can leave people with vision problems at an increased risk of falling.
To help seniors with vision loss stay safe at home, the American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) and the University of Tennessee Health Science Center Community Occupational Therapy Services Program created the video series “Preventing Falls by Adapting Your Home.” The eight videos in the series suggest simple and inexpensive changes that can be made around the home to dramatically lessen the chances of a dangerous fall and enhance a person’s ability to live independently. The videos are also available on DVD in the AFB bookstore.
“Though vision problems increase your risk of falling, there are a number of things seniors can do to stay safe at home,” said Judy Scott, director of the AFB Center on Vision Loss. “For example, regular exercise helps strength, flexibility and balance, and improving the lighting and reducing glare in your home makes it easier to see your surroundings.”
Tips on preventing falls in and around the home include:
• Don’t store the things you need in high places that would require a step stool to reach.
• Apply nonskid mats or appliqués in bold, contrasting colors to the surface of the shower or tub.
• Install grab bars in the bathroom-especially if you have balance problems.
• Arrange your furniture so that there is a clear path for walking, and keep clutter out of walkways.
Avoid using furniture on wheels.
• Add color-contrasting strips to steps and paint your banister a different color so that it stands out from the steps.
• Clap-on/clap-off lights in the living room and in your bedroom will keep you from having to get up from your chair to adjust light.
• Be certain that your home is well lit and that you have lighting in strategic places such as doorways and near stairs.
• Consider learning to use a cane to be more confident and safe.
You can learn more, view videos and access tips at www.afb.org/seniorsite/falls.
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