Understanding and Mitigating the Staircase Risks

Published by Stephen on September 9, 2010 under fall prevention

In the home, few areas present as many risks or are the cause of as many injuries as the staircase. For the elderly, falls on the stairs are exceptionally common and very often cause serious injury. These sorts of injuries, such as a broken hip, can be very hard to recover from for the elderly, with over 50% requiring some sort of assisted living situation after a serious injury. This is why preventing these falls is so important.

There is no single factor or tool that can be used to prevent falls on the stairs, with a multi-pronged approach being the safest and most effective. This involves understanding the abilities of the senior, ensuring the staircase is in good repair, and potentially using tools or equipment to make the stairs safer. However, in some cases, the best option may be to simply avoid the stairs, as even tools like the stair lift can be difficult to use for some seniors.

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