At Anderson Family Medicine, we are committed to helping your health and well-being. Falls are a serious matter and can lead to injury. If you have fallen or experienced a near fall, please inform us. Below are basic strategies to prevent falls and improve your safety.
General Precautions:
- Wear your glasses as prescribed; wear your hearing aids if you have them.
- Use recommended walking device; do not use the furniture.
- Wear well-fitted shoes with low heels and non-slip soles. Do not wear flip-flops, mule style shoes or high heels. Do not walk around bare foot.
- Get up and down slowly to avoid dizziness or loss of balance.
- Have cordless telephone easily accessible at all times.
- Ask for help, do not attempt activities that are too difficult.
Living Areas:
- Remove loose rugs and tack down loose carpeting/flooring to prevent tripping.
- Remove electrical cords, phone cords and other clutter.
- Arrange furniture to provide clear pathways; if you use a walking aid, make sure it will fit.
- Arrange home environment to avoid excessive bending or over reaching.
- Avoid slippery floors and walk carefully on uneven walking surfaces.
- Install night-lights in bathrooms, bedrooms and hallways.
- Use chairs and couches at proper height (not too low) and with arm rests to get in and out of them easily.
- Check or install hand railing on stairs or step-ups (inside and outside).
Bathrooms
- Put non-slip strips in showers/tub.
- Install grab bars in the shower/tub and near the toilet.
- Consider installing a shower seat (especially if you have a history of falls or unsteady balance) and arrange toiletry items so they are at waist height.
- Install a night-light.
- Incorporate the use of dressing equipment such as a reacher or sock aid.
Role of Occupational Therapy
If you are experiencing falls, near falls or balance issues, physical and/or occupational therapy may be beneficial and necessary. Therapists will evaluate your balance, strength, mobility, self-care tasks, sensory deficits and home conditions. They will develop a therapeutic plan to address your limitations and help improve your overall mobility and safety. If your physician orders therapy services for you, please be sure to call to schedule your appointment.
NSH Outpatient Rehabilitation Service locations
Forsyth: 770-844-3650
Atlanta: 404-236-8030
Alpharetta 770-667-4231
Cherokee: 770-720-5127
