Duration
1 Hour
Positioning Properly to Prevent Falls
Common fall risks
Risk #1: Environmental
The Risks:
Slippery floors (e.g., in bathrooms or kitchens)
Uneven surfaces (e.g., rugs, thresholds, stairs without handrails)
Clutter (e.g., furniture, cords, or other objects that can be tripped over)
Poor lighting (dark hallways, dimly lit stairs)
Wet or icy outdoor conditions (sidewalks, steps)
What caregivers can do to help:
Conduct a home safety check at the beginning of each visit: remove tripping hazards, replace lightbulbs (if out), declutter walking lanes, install grab bars
When in a potentially dangerous area, offer assistance: stand on the senior's weak(er) side and offer an arm for support
Risk #2: Physical and Medical Risks
The Risks:
Medications that cause dizziness or drowsiness (e.g., sedatives, blood pressure medications)
Chronic health conditions like arthritis, vision impairment, and neurological disorders (e.g., Parkinson’s disease, stroke)
Cognitive issues (such as dementia)
What caregivers can do to help:
Help your senior enroll in a falls-prevention course: There are a number of programs which have been shown to reduce the risk to falling. "Matter of Balance" is one that combines classroom + balance training + strength training to help the senior reduce their risk of falling. These programs are offered in various community centers around Illinois.
Help the senior follow their medical care plan: Schedule doctor visits, monitor medications, and manage chronic conditions.
Promote physical engagement: Encourage appropriate physical activity (too much or too hard can also be bad) such as walks or stretches. Ensure physical therapy sessions are attended
Risk #3: Behavioral Risks
The Risks:
Not using assistive devices (e.g., walking canes or walkers) when they are needed. For those with dementia, assistive devices may increase the risk of falling.
Ignoring pain (e.g., walking through pain may affect posture and balance)
Sudden movements (like standing up too quickly, which can cause dizziness)
What caregivers can do to help:
Be attentive: We should always be attentive to our seniors – but our guard should especially be up when they are getting up / down or walking around
Encourage use of assistive devices: Try to first understand why your senior refuses to use their assistive equipment (e.g., pride, forgets / dementia, inconvenience). Depending on their reasoning, you may have to negotiate, distract (put the walker in front of the car first before helping them out and chatting with them), praise or draw firm boundaries
For those with dementia - talk to your doctor about their recommended approach to fall prevention
Proper caregiver positioning to prevent falls:
Always stay behind the client when moving! That way, if the client falls, you can safely help lower them to the floor.
Position yourself on the client’s weaker side. Depending on their muscle strength or if they recently had surgery, standing on their weaker side gives them the extra support they need to stay balanced.
Encourage the use of mobility devices no matter how short the distance may be. Mobility devices help prevent falls as you can never expect a fall to occur.
Assess the client’s level of dizziness/weakness before moving. Have them sit on the edge of the bed/chair for 30 seconds to a minute before to prevent instability
What to do when a senior falls?
The 6 steps when your client is falling
Do not try to break their fall or attempt to catch the client.
Brace your arms underneath the clients arms.
Bring one leg closer to the client and center it between their legs.
Bend your knees and support the client against your leg.
With your leg as support, gently slide them down and lower them to the floor.
Assess the client after the fall and document the incident.
After a fall - evaluating and responding to the situation
Fall assessment questions:
If the client’s head got injured in any way, whether it may have seem to be a small bump, call 9-1-1 to get a more thorough assessment done. Do not attempt to move client from the ground until assessment is completed!
Orientation:
Time: What day is it? What time is it?
Person: Name and/or other personal questions
Place: Where are you right now?
Pain Assessment:
Yes/No: If no, can move on to the next topic
Location: Where is your pain?
Severity: How bad is your pain? (On a scale from 1-10, 10 being the worst pain you’ve felt).
Description: How would you describe your pain? (Sharp, dull, burning, tingling, shooting).
Does your pain travel anywhere/Does it radiate anywhere?
Physical Assessment
Head-to-toe assessment:
Pulse, ranges from 60-100, could be slightly elevated due to the fall
Respiration, ranges from 12-20, could be slightly elevated due to the fall
Eye assessment (light, accommodation, reflex)
Range of motion - See if there are differences compared to the client’s baseline