November is Falls Prevention Month
November is also one month until Christmas! Do you have difficulty knowing what to buy loved ones for Christmas? Do you have people on your Christmas list who have everything already!? This holiday season, give your loved ones gifts that help promote safety and prevent injury.
In an article for The Citizen, Marguerite Thomas lists great gift ideas from the Fall Prevention Community.
For those travelers in your family, consider;
- Emergency kit for the car
- Car blankets and extra warm clothing such as mitts and toques
- Cellular phone or calling card
- Taxi vouchers
- Non-alcoholic beverages for holiday celebrations when away
- Subscription for a travel protection plan
- Extra night lights/flashlights for when staying at hotels or bedrooms away from home
Gift ideas which help prevent unintentional falls:
- Cordless telephones
- Personal protection alarm
- Walking/trekking poles
- Grip bars for bathtub and toilet
- Small clothes baskets or carriers which avoid awkwardness and overbalance
- Non-alcoholic beverages for holiday celebrations at home
- Specialty safety items from your pharmacy or therapy retailer (ex. Reacher for reaching high places or items on the floor)
- Assistive devices ranging from canes to wheelchairs
- Flip down ice picks for canes
- Gift of snow removal service
- Boots with a good grip on the soles. Or ice grippers to use with the boots you already have
- Gift certificates for sturdy walking shoes and snowshoes
- Warm outer clothing
- Housecoats short enough to prevent tripping
- Firm slippers with a non-slip sole
- No slip socks
- Bag of salt/sand mixture, kitty litter or special de-icer friendly to shrubs and sidewalk
- Nightlights in home bathrooms and bedrooms
- Smartwatch that has fall detection
- Smart lighting for the home that can turn off/on with your smartphone app
Items that protect everyone in the home include:
- Smoke detectors or batteries for the smoke detector
- Safety items for the stove, fireplace or BBQ, including oven mitts
- Safe and sturdy step stools or ladders
- Renovation of unsafe stairs or any other hazards in the home
- Repair of any wobbly furniture
- Bath mats or adhesives to avoid slipping in the tub
- Floor mats with non-slip backing/suction for inside or outside the tub to absorb moisture and prevent falling
- Bright light bulbs
- Replacement of any electrical appliances that need a new cord or plug
- Welcome mats and large indoor mats or trays to absorb moisture from wet boots
- Motion sensor lights for outside
Did you know Prairie Mountain Health has various resources and information on fall prevention, including videos, Fall Risk Checklists, How to Prepare for a Hospital Stay and exercises to help reduce your risk of falling? Visit our website for resources.