Senior Staircase Safety: What You Need to Know

Published on: 02 March 2021 Last Updated on: 26 December 2024

The rates of falls and staircase-related injuries among the elderly continue to increase.

A Queensland government health report states that 100,000 people are hospitalized due to falls. The main causes include slipping, tripping, and stumbling, especially on stairs. Almost 10% of ambulance calls in Victoria attend to elderly patients who have fallen.

This article examines stair safety for senior citizens and how to proactively stop falls.

We explore safety features like stair treads and guard rails. And how the right lighting will protect the physically vulnerable.

Learn about stair safety and consider the elderly by reading these 3 tips. Then make falls and trips a thing of the past.

1. Safety Rails for Staircases:

Stair safety guardrails act as an invaluable support aid when mounting or dismounting stairs.

According to the government’s WorkSafe guide, each stairway should include at least one handrail. If the stairs are wider than 100cm then two handrails are required on either side.

Slippy rails or those too large to grip are worse than useless.

A power grip style that’s rectangular or circular allows the person to hold tight and use the stairs with confidence. There should be no obstructions to allow free movement. And the rails need to be visually significant so they’re easy to see.

2. Stair Treads for Elderly Relatives:

Stair treads are the horizontal part of a stair on which a person steps on.

Treads are often carpeted in elderly residential homes and houses. However, this type of material can rise or bump making the tread a tripping hazard.

Non-slip treads provide a safer environment. Methods include:

rubber or abrasive treads
anti-slip tape
slip-resistant nosing

Nosing is the edge of the stair where footfall is greatest. Stairs without firm nosing will see a higher number of falls. Therefore, it’s essential to include adequate nosing that is easily seen and strong enough to take a person’s full weight.

Staircase installers offer a full range of stair treads available in different colors and finishes. There are multiple nosing options on offer too but ask for the right type to suit the intended setting.

3. Improve Lighting and Remove Tripping Hazards:

Stairs should always have a high illumination level. Especially when contrasted to adjacent spaces.

Shadows and low areas of light can disrupt visibility. Remove them by installing low-glare overhead lights or a stair lighting kit. Make sure to have light switches on the upper and lower levels too.

Additionally, remove any tripping hazards from the staircase.

Items like clothing or books must never block the stairs. Carers should inspect the staircase regularly and remove all items. Training in care homes should provision for this along with general safety guidelines.

Making Stairs Safer for Seniors:

Senior staircase safety should include increasing visibility, removing hazards, and upgrading staircases.

Stair injuries can be grave and life-threatening in nature for seniors. You can suffer from injuries that might require medical procedures like hip replacement surgery or one for the knee. This is one reason why staircase safety is advocated.

Adding non-slip stair treads and dual handrails not only acts as safety features but can boost confidence. Adding extra light will help too.

Make an elderly person more comfortable in their home by following these tips. Reduce falls and increase the quality of life through simple staircase additions.

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Discusses the Growing Problems of Living Alone

Researchers have concluded that living alone, being socially isolated, and feeling lonely can pose significant health risks, particularly in older adults. Although the terms living alone, social isolation and loneliness are often used interchangeably, they are not the same thing. Specifically, living alone and being socially isolated are objective determinations either that a person lives solo, or has few relationships or infrequent social contact. According to the Administration on Aging (a division within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services), nearly one-third (28%) of non-institutionalized adults 65 and older – 13.8 million people – live alone. Despite living alone, however, these adults may or may not be included within the category of social isolation depending on the nature of their relationships and the frequency of their social contacts. In contrast, loneliness is determined on a subjective basis. Loneliness is based on a person’s individual feelings of disconnectedness, isolation, or not belonging. Said differently, loneliness arises because of the divergence between a person’s desired level of social connection and the actual level of connection. To be clear, a person living alone may not necessarily feel lonely, whereas someone living with a number of other people may still experience loneliness. Risk Factors A recent survey of older adults determined that 43% feel lonely on a regular basis. More concerning is that among those who report feeling lonely, there is a 45% increased mortality risk. Steve Cole, the director of the Social Genomics Core Laboratory at UCLA, explains: “Loneliness acts as a fertilizer for other diseases. The biology of loneliness can accelerate the buildup of plaque in the arteries, help cancer cells grow and spread, and promote inflammation in the brain leading to Alzheimer’s disease. Loneliness promotes several different types of wear and tear on the body.” Research has established links between living alone, social isolation, and loneliness to a variety of physical and mental conditions, including high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity, a weakened immune system, anxiety, depression, cognitive decline, Alzheimer’s disease, and even death. Indeed, a recent meta-analysis – representing cumulative evidence from 148 studies involving over 300,000 participants – determined that greater social connection is associated with a 50% reduced risk of early death. A second meta-analysis by the same researchers – representing cumulative evidence from 70 studies involving more than 3.4 million participants followed for an average of 7 years – similarly concluded that living alone (objective determination), social isolation (objective) and loneliness (subjective) each had a significant effect on the risk of mortality. Specifically, the analysis concluded that the likelihood of death increased a statistically significant 26% for loneliness, 29% for social isolation, and 32% for living alone. To put those risks in context, the researchers determined that the magnitude of risk is comparable to – and in some cases even exceeds – other well-accepted risk factors such as smoking (up to 15 cigarettes a day), obesity, lack of physical exercise and high blood pressure. Loneliness has also been associated with increased emergency admissions to a hospital, longer length of stays, and delayed discharges. In fact, a November 2017 study concluded that the lack of social contacts among older adults is associated with an estimated annual increase in Medicare spending of $6.7 billion. One Can Be the Loneliest Number, But it Doesn’t Have to Be Greg Bishop, an attorney in Park City, suggests that retirement is a great opportunity to develop the types of connections that can prevent or alleviate the health consequences of living alone, being socially isolated, or feeling lonely. He notes that although there is a general consensus about the potential problem areas, the solutions are more elusive. He explains that although living alone and being socially isolated are determined objectively, the underlying causes are overtly personal. For example, living alone may be the result of the death of a partner or because of a recent divorce, whereas being socially isolated may arise from relocating after retirement or from the children moving away. Given that the underlying causes vary drastically, the solutions for living alone, being socially isolated, and feeling lonely will also differ. In short, there is no one-size-fits-all solution to these issues. 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There are always people who are in need of help.” Read Also: Why Do You Need a Queens Personal Injury Attorney 6 Signs That You Need To Hire a Personal Injury Attorney Don’t Battle It All Alone: 5 Reasons Why You Need an Adoption Attorney These Four Qualities Are What You Should Be Looking For In Attorneys!

Six Main Reasons Why You Need to Care for Environment

Global warming is on the rise due to environmental degradation. And there is a lot of environmental campaigns to mitigate the situation. Most of the movements focus on how to prevent further ecological degradation. There have been huge debates between leaders from different countries about reducing carbon emission to the environment as this is the most significant contributor to global warming. However, as the discussion continues, every individual needs to mitigate this global issue. Below are the top reasons why it is your responsibility to safeguard your environment. People depend on the environmental resources: You depend on environmental resources like water, soil, timber to survive. These resources are not only necessary to people. They are also helpful to the environment to stay healthy. Therefore, it is your responsibility to ensure the proper use of such resources and avoid wastage. Whenever you cut down trees for timber, you need to ensure you plant others for future use. A clean environment for good health: You need clean and fresh air for breathing. It will only be possible if you keep your surroundings clean. Contaminated air is a recipe for many respiratory illnesses. It will directly harm human health. Therefore, planting a tree or two in your small yard can contribute to cleaning the hair you are breathing. Besides, it would be best if you also adopted a proper waste disposal strategy. You can also get environmentally friendly products from seedsprout.com.au, which are highly biodegradable. A healthy environment has medical benefits: The environment is the most significant source of many medicines used for treatment. Some are from the forest, while others are from the marines. In short, the environment has to be cared for to create possibilities for the availability of medicines. Contaminating the environment, therefore, means that you are reducing the medical sources. To keep the earth beautiful: There is nothing good-looking than an evergreen environment. People have beautiful mountains and forests with animals which attract both local and international tourists. But because of pollution and deforestation, all the beautiful sceneries can turn into an ugly space. To keep the earth balanced: The primary purpose of trees is to keep the earth balanced by supplying oxygen and prevent global warming. Plants require carbon (IV) oxide for the process of photosynthesis. Having several trees also helps to absorb impurities from industrial emissions. Thus, this ensures the earth is equally balanced with enough oxygen supply and eliminates the excess carbon (IV) oxide. The environment is your home: Consider the environment where you live. You would always want it in the best condition. You don’t want to stay in a smelly and stuffy place. Therefore, it is essential to ensure your home stays safe, clean, and beautiful. The more you do that, the more you contribute towards environmental preservation. Bottom-line: It is generally your moral obligation to ensure that you take care of the environment around you. Since we live in it and depend on it for our daily activities, it is your responsibility to take good care. Embrace environmentally friendly products from seedsprout.com.au, which can help care for the environment. Bonus topic: Do you think Bitcoin ever can harm our environment? Check out here! Read Also: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle: 3 Ways to Find Recycling Information in Perth 5 Reasons to Take Rubbish Removal Seriously Why Environmental Air and Noise Monitoring Is Really Worth Families Health

How Much Does 24/7 In-Home Care Cost?

Many clinic patients, the elderly, or people who are undergoing long-term rehabilitation after major surgery at home, need outside help. Relatives or close friends will not always be able to provide qualified support and care for such patients. In such cases, a 24-hour home care service is required with the involvement of qualified specialists and medical personnel. Many people who have faced a difficult situation in life are often interested in the question, how much does 24/7 in-home care cost? What is a 24/7 In-Home Care Service? 24/7 In-Home Care Service is a set of medical services that leads to a quick recovery of a patient after a serious illness, surgery, injury, or alleviates his suffering and improves the quality of life in the provision of palliative care. In our company, this service is carried out at home with the involvement of the following set of specialists: Certified general doctors or highly specialized doctors. Registered Nurses. Speech correction specialists. Osteopaths, massage therapists, and other doctors ensure the normal functioning of the patient's musculoskeletal system. Nursing support staff and social workers. Nurses on duty monitor the health level of seriously ill patients 24/7. In addition to these specialists, we also attract additional staff to provide round-the-clock quality care, as well as monitor the patient's health status with the provision of emergency or planned care, if necessary. What kind of work do 24/7 In-Home Care Service employees do? The work plan of medical and auxiliary staff and specialists, as well as nurses in caring for the patient, is determined individually for each specific case. The general set of services provided includes the following actions of the staff: Carrying out drug treatment, or intramuscular injections of the patient. Monitoring the state of health, making primary or final diagnoses, and conducting examinations, without the use of professional equipment. Communication with the patient, identifying and updating the clinical picture, and prescribing new medications. Assistance in moving the patient around the house, for example, to the kitchen, and to the bathroom. Walking with the patient, if such procedures do not contradict the prescription of the attending physician. Maintaining the standard life of the patient, such as washing, changing clothes, helping to use the toilet, preparing meals, and performing other vital tasks. Help in establishing the ability to communicate normally, correcting the speech of a patient after a stroke or other serious illness. Perform dressings, treatment of wounds, bedsores, and other traumatic injuries. Conducting intensive care. Assistance in occupational therapy, gymnastics, or other physical exercises. Feeding the patient, including intravenous, with the inability to eat independently. Providing psychological assistance, getting rid of stress and depression, and pursuing a special course of treatment. All services that are provided around the clock by our service are aimed at ensuring a comfortable life for the patient, regardless of the age and severity of the identified pathology. Our qualified specialists relieve suffering and provide the necessary assistance in various pathologies. How Much Does 24/7 In-Home Care Cost? The cost of maintaining staff for round-the-clock care at home is calculated individually, according to the company's price list, as well as adjusting factors, and depends on several important criteria: The age of the patient. The patient's health status. The type of pathology identified. The need for round-the-clock monitoring of the patient. The number of specialists involved in working with patients. The need for intensive care. Category and method of dosage of drugs. The cost of procedures prescribed to the patient. The need for periodic planned hospitalization. The need for analysis. Removing the location of the patient from the region of service. The need to maintain the living conditions of the patient. According to the results of calculations and compilation of statistics, regardless of the category of the patient and several specialists involved in caring for him, home care is no more than 1/3 of the cost of hospital stay bills. Thus, the customer incurs lower costs both for the direct payment for each service, according to the price list, and for the purchase of insurance, including 24/7 In-Home Care Service. In recent years, experts have explicitly stated that home care is becoming more and more profitable for customers, due to the growth in the number of companies providing this service, as well as due to the reduction in the cost of such services with the development of digital technologies. When is 24/7 In-Home Care required? The decision to contact the round-the-clock assistance service for sick or incapacitated people is made in the presence of the following circumstances: Conclusion on the incapacity of an elderly person, or a patient with pathologies. The presence in the house of a child with ASD, or with other mental developmental disabilities. Relatives notice the patient's untidy appearance, exhaustion due to lack of food, or other signs of socialization disorders, this means that the person needs third-party help, and they need to turn to specialists. If the patient cannot move independently, he needs round-the-clock supervision, since when he tries to transfer from bed to a wheelchair, he can injure himself. One of the main reasons why people don’t always turn to the services of round-the-clock care for a sick person is the reluctance to spend extra money. At the same time, if relatives have to take care of an elderly person, this can drag on for years, which will certainly affect the mental state of relatives. After the departure of the ward from life, the years will already be lost, and the relatives will not have time to enjoy life. In this regard, experts recommend always contacting professionals in such cases. Particular attention should be paid to older people who are diagnosed with dementia, starting with the second degree. Such patients are always ready to serve themselves and declare complete independence, but in fact, they cannot do without professional help. One of the most important reasons for hiring a nurse to look after a sick person is the fact that the patient is always more subordinate to a stranger than to a relative. This means that if the ward behaves too capriciously, and does not want to follow the daily routine or take the medications prescribed by the attending physician, it is recommended to seek professional help. The specialists of our company perfectly understand the condition of sick people, since we have been working with such patients for more than a year. We provide psychological assistance, we understand the algorithm of interaction with a person, even in the most difficult situations. All our nurses and doctors have completed advanced training courses and meet the highest requirements, as evidenced by the positive feedback from our patients' relatives. Tips for choosing 24/7 In-Home Care It is very difficult to make the right choice of a nurse who will simultaneously satisfy the patient and his relatives, and also fulfill all the regulatory requirements and prescriptions of the doctor. When looking for such staff for a home for around-the-clock care for a sick person, it is recommended to take into account several nuances: When conducting an interview, it is recommended to invite the future nurse to the patient and look at his reaction. The nurse should have a pleasant timbre of voice and arrange for the patient to quickly establish contact with him. The nurse must have the necessary qualifications, and be able to provide first aid, following the disease in her future ward. It is recommended to request in advance from the future employee all the necessary qualification documents, as well as a diploma of higher education. The nurse should initially be ready for an irregular working day, namely, staying next to a sick person 24/7, or, if she disagrees, it is recommended to hire two people. Our company immediately presents to a potential customer 2 or 3 highly qualified people who will be next to the patient for 24 hours. A nurse must always be in touch, have a mobile phone, be able to use instant messengers to answer a question at any time of the day, or transfer information to the attending physician in case of a force majeure situation. Regardless of professional qualities, the nurse must have such personal traits as benevolence, compassion, and care. Only with a good attitude from the home staff, the patient will quickly recover, or his last days of life will be comfortable. Our company All American Home Care has only highly qualified medical staff and nurses who provide round-the-clock support for a sick person, regardless of the degree of progression of the disease. We are always ready to help your relative both in the postoperative period and in the provision of palliative care. Read Also: Art Activities for Stress Relief Releasing Stress Even if You Don’t Leave Home Make Your Vacation Less Stressful With the Following Tricks Why It’s So Hard to Quit Drugs Cold Turkey?

Senior Staircase Safety: What You Need to Know

1. Safety Rails for Staircases:

2. Stair Treads for Elderly Relatives:

3. Improve Lighting and Remove Tripping Hazards:

Making Stairs Safer for Seniors:

Are Major Sectors Minimizing Single-Use Plastic Waste Enough?

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Content Rally

Content Rally wrapped around an online publication where you can publish your own intellectuals. It is a publishing platform designed to make great stories by content creators. This is your era, your place to be online. So come forward share your views, thoughts and ideas via Content Rally.

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Related

Discusses the Growing Problems of Living Alone

Six Main Reasons Why You Need to Care for Environment

How Much Does 24/7 In-Home Care Cost?

Senior Staircase Safety: What You Need to Know

1. Safety Rails for Staircases:

2. Stair Treads for Elderly Relatives:

3. Improve Lighting and Remove Tripping Hazards:

Making Stairs Safer for Seniors:

Share this Article

Are Major Sectors Minimizing Single-Use Plastic Waste Enough?

Elements Figuring out the Medication Cost

Content Rally wrapped around an online publication where you can publish your own intellectuals. It is a publishing platform designed to make great stories by content creators. This is your era, your place to be online. So come forward share your views, thoughts and ideas via Content Rally.

Leave a Reply

Popular

Follow Us

Recent

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