Thousands of elderly people fall every year, and for some of them, it can lead to a broken hip or even death. You dont have to be elderly to fall down, though, and if you do fall you need to know what steps to take to make sure you are okay. If you fall and youre not alright its imperative that you are able to contact help.
Many falls occur because a person slips or trips on something in the floor. If you are elderly - or even if youre not - its important to keep hallways cleared of things on the floor, and its important to keep a wide pathway throughout the house. Leaving toys lying around, spilling something and not cleaning it up, or even having a pet running around, can all be hazards waiting to happen. Safety starts with you. Dont have extension cords stretching across rooms and make sure any rugs you own have a slip-proof backing. And, never cover extension cords with throw rugs.
No matter how safe you try to make your home falls can still happen. And, not all falls happen inside a house. Many different outside forces can cause a person to fall and become seriously injured. When theres ice on the streets and sidewalks, for example, falls are almost certainly going to happen. Slick, wet grass, a raise in a portion of a sidewalk, or a downhill slope in a parking lot could all be potential hazards. Just because you fall doesnt necessarily mean youll be badly injured - or injured at all. Many people walk away from a fall without a scratch. Should you fall, though, take a minute to assess the situation before trying to get up. Its a natural instinct to immediately get back up but its safer for the victim to determine the extent of any injuries before trying to rise. Upon falling take a moment to assess the pain or other injury. Did you hit your head? Are you bleeding? How severely? Are there broken bones? If there are, are they compound fractures? Have broken bones pierced the skin? Are there others around to help you or are you alone? These things are all important factors to be determined before attempting to get back up. If there are others around, even if you dont know them, holler for help. Its always a good idea to have someone help you because they can see what you cant. If, for instance, youve received a trauma to the back of the head, the other person can look and see how severe it is, call for an ambulance, or simply help you to your feet. If youve fallen because of someones neglect its important that you record the facts, ask others if they saw what happened, and to contact an attorney. If someone else caused you to fall you should not have to pay the hospital bills and related expenses. If you find yourself alone after a fall there are some steps you can, hopefully, take to get back up on your feet. After determining your injuries attempt to get to the nearest thing that you can get hold of to pull yourself up. If youre indoors, slowly roll to the nearest piece of heavy furniture and attempt to get up by holding on to it. If you feel you simply cant get up try to get close enough to use the phone. Make sure there are no bones protruding before attempting to roll. Roll slowly and take assessment of how you feel after each turn. Call for help immediately upon reaching the phone. In todays technological world its easy to have a cell phone or other emergency equipment on your being, everywhere you go. Elders, epileptics, and others at higher risk can sign up for an emergency alert system. These companies provide you with a necklace or bracelet that requires a mere push of a button to contact emergency help. These services are generally inexpensive and very handy. Should you fall you are able to contact help without ever even moving. You dont have to be at high risk to wear these aids; theyre great for children, teens and adults alike.
No comments:
Post a Comment