Slip and fall prevention is very important in homes as well as in assisted living facilities. If a person slips and falls, they can be seriously injured and the extent of the injury is more if an elderly person falls. Assisted living facilities and adult homes may face serious suits if the cause of the fall is due to their negligence. Owing to the need of ensuring that the home is safe for individuals, there are several ways of slip and fall prevention that can be adopted in adult foster homes and other residential areas.
1. Having well lit corridors and stairways
When people grow older their ability to see clearly is greatly hampered. It is therefore the responsibility of these homes to have corridors and walkways that are well lit so that the senior person can clearly see where they are going.
2. Clean any liquid or dry spills on the floor immediately
An elderly person is not in a position to look carefully where they are walking if there may be any kind of spills. Any liquids spilt on the floor and not cleaned immediately can cause you to slip and therefore fall. Those managing these homes should therefore have cleaning people who go round the homes to ensure the place is clean and that anything spilt on the floor is cleaned immediately.
3. Install double handrails on staircases
Senior people may find it hard to climb up or down the stairs quickly without supporting themselves. Having handrails on both sides of the stairway ensures that you can support yourself easily as you climb up or down the stairs thus reducing the risk of falling.
4. Provide slip-resistant footwear that is well fitting
Administrators of assisted living facilities and owners are in charge of what the elderly individuals eat, wear and do daily. Administrators should therefore give senior individuals shoes that are well fitting and have grip thus making it very hard for them to fall.
5. Place non-slip mats in the tub and shower
The bathtub and shower normally have tiles that tend to be very slippery especially when you have wet feet. It is therefore very easy to slip in the bathroom. Having a non-slip mat in the bathroom is essential in ensuring that you can wipe your feet after leaving the tub or shower.
These safety procedures are for enhancing safety in the home.
