KEEP YOUR STEPS SAFE
Modifying stairs key to preventing falls at home
November is Fall Prevention Month, and modifying housing to prevent falls is an important step.
Orleans residents Lynda and Ken Zimmerman want to age in place and they're doing what they can to make that happen.
The couple has lived for 30 years in the Chapel Hill neighbourhood, seven years in their current home.
“We chose a bungalow, the only one in this area,” said Lynda, 68. “It was very fortuitous.”
Ken, 69, has Parkinson's, which is why the bungalow was desirable.
“First thing we did was change a lot of the staircases,” said Lynda, who has mobility problems as well. “We put in a railing at the front entrance. We rebuilt our deck to make it level with the floor of the house; now you can just step outside to the deck of the house in the back without going down stairs. It's a direct walk out.”
They also built a railing and new stairs to the house from the garage. “The stairs were a fall hazard because they were different heights.”
Now they are planning a bathroom renovation.
“We've been talking to friends and are feeling a little overwhelmed with all the information we've been receiving,” she said. “We know there needs to be larger shower, a larger opening to the shower, and level access into the shower so you could use a wheelchair if you needed one.”
They also considered “grab bars and a whole new shower, getting rid of the bath tub — which we thought long and hard about, because if we sold the house later on, someone might really want a bathtub … But a real estate person told us people middle-aged and above prefer a shower. We also want a rough floor so we don't slip, and room for a seat or a built-in seat. We have to have room to turn a wheelchair around and to go under the sink. It's a lot of things to consider.”
What they've decided to do next, pre-construction, is to ask an occupational therapist to come in and give them guidance about how much space is required, and what can be adapted differently.
“It's a big decision to renovate to that extent.”
“Falls on stairs, both indoor and outdoor, and in bathrooms, are more likely to result in injuries than falls in other locations,” says Nancy Edwards, who is professor emeritus at the School of Nursing, University of Ottawa. Edwards is working with a team at U Ottawa under Sarah Fraser that is developing an app to assess stair safety.
“Stairs and bathrooms are haz
ardous locations for falls for many age groups, not just seniors.”
Edwards is also the chair of CARP's Ottawa Chapter fall prevention working group and a board member of CARP's Ottawa Chapter. She says grab bars can help prevent falls in bathrooms, regardless of age or physical ability.
“Research indicates that two grab bars are needed. A vertical
grab bar helps you maintain your balance as you step into and out of a tub or a shower. A diagonal or horizontal grab bar on the side wall is needed to help you sit down into and stand up from the bottom of the tub. Grab bars have to be properly secured so they can hold your weight.”
For those with mobility issues, the advice of an occupational
therapist will help ensure the optimal placement of grab bars.
Manufactured bath or shower inserts often have a warranty that is voided if you drill a hole in the acrylic lining to insert a grab bar.
“This is an important consideration for those planning a bathroom renovation,” Edwards said.
She suggests some improvements to stair safety that can be
more easily made:
Install handrails on indoor and outdoor steps and stairs. Two handrails are best. They should be easy to grasp with your fingers and thumb encircling the handrail.
Improve overhead lighting so all stairs are well lit. Install on-off switches at the top and bottom of stairs.
“You can make your environment safer for yourself, your family members and your friends,” she says. “Preparing to age in place should begin early. Don't wait until you have a fall to make improvements to stairs and bathrooms. Prevent falls before they happen …
“It's really important to consider how we can make our homes safer. Environmental risk factors are implicated in one third of all falls. Improvements to stairs and bathrooms could make a big difference.”
“The current Canadian aging population is the biggest driving factor behind change in the residential built environment,” says Linda Kafka, organizer of the LivABLE Environment Conference.
They understand ... that preparing their homes, so they can live well in place, is not just the right thing but the smart thing to do.
“Why? They understand the importance financially, physically and mentally that preparing their homes, so they can live well in place, is not just the right thing but the smart thing to do. Stats show that 90 per cent of people 55-plus want to remain at home as they age.”
She said one of the biggest barriers is builders and renovators keep building primarily from an esthetic perspective.
“Did you know that residential design of the single family suburban home has not changed much since the 1950s?” she asks.
“And that the multi-family home construction was in a fast decline in the 1970s. It's taken several decades for the design/build industry to realize that our homes need to accommodate the changing demands of consumers.
“The massive change taking
place in home design and construction is being driven by the demand for consumers to remain at home for a lifespan, the rise of multi-generational living to support young families and the elderly.”
“The statistics on falls are troublesome and the costs, staggering,” says Bonnie Lindsay of Nordic
Walkfit, a member of the CARP fall prevention working group and a personal trainer.
On top of remedying the built environment, she stresses the importance of balance and strength training to prevent falls. Correcting posture, especially a head forward position, improving core, leg
and arm strength, and addressing vision deficiencies are features of a good balance program.
CARP Ottawa will be holding four free webinars in November on fall prevention. Registration for the CARP Ottawa fall prevention webinars is available on eventbrite.