Slip And Fall Prevention Key To Safer Senior Living
October 20, 2016
CHICAGO–Think a slip or fall is a minor accident? While many people may slip or fall without serious injuries, over 18,000 Americans die annually from an everyday accident. The risks for severe injury or even death increase with age and musculoskeletal conditions like arthritis, traumatic injuries, osteoporosis, and spinal deformity.
To date, approximately 8,400,000 Americans receive long term care support, while an estimated 12,000,000 Americans need long term care. The care gap leaves many Americans, a majority of them senior citizens, vulnerable to slip and fall accidents.
In support of Bone and Joint Health National Awareness Week and to increase accident prevention awareness for seniors, Koffler Sales Company, a Chicago-area business specializing in wall and floor protection supplies, is donating $1 from every sale during the month of October to benefit Advocate Lutheran General Hospital.
“As a part of our Bone and Joint Health National Awareness Week recognition, Koffler Sales has chosen to donate a portion of our sales to Advocate Lutheran General Hospital,” said Ron Starr, President, Koffler Sales Company. “We believe Lutheran General is an exemplary leader in patient safety and we are honored to have an opportunity to support its efforts to become one of our nation’s premier zero-falls hospital.”
Koffler Sales Company recommends a variety of safety recommendations for better accident prevention in senior living and long term care facilities, or even do-it-yourself improvements that can be installed at home.
Slip and Fall Prevention Tips from Koffler Sales:
Install handrails and grab bars in slippery areas, like bathrooms. For at-risk residents in a long term care facility, or those who are living independently, placing handrails and grab bars between the sleeping and bathroom area can greatly reduce slips and falls.
Smooth transition edging is a type of floor trim that ensures a seamless transition between two types of flooring. It is inexpensive and easy to install and can help people from losing their balance as they walk from one surface to the next. Smooth transition edging also makes mobility easier for people in wheelchairs or those with rolling medical equipment.
Grip tape can be used anywhere one needs extra traction, from bathtubs and showers to stair treads. Koffler Sales offers a wide selection of grip tapes that can be used inside or outside, and in a variety of colors and sizes. Consider installing glow-in-the-dark grip tape for areas that are trafficked in the dark to help prevent falls.
