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My mother doesn't want to get hand rails or do other necessities to make her house safer -- I am looking for stats that I can give her to help the argument.


Something relating to the reduction in falls if we remove the rugs, add hand rails, etc.


Any resources?


Thanks!

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Sorry I misread your brief.. my council has a booklet called Stay on your feet (or something similar) aimed at educating elders of the risks. I have found though that so many say 'But I'm fine, I won't fall'. Stats may fall on deaf ears. Sometimes it takes the experience of a near miss or an actual fall to get through.
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Maybe not along your requirements, but have you considered a physiotherapist to 'fall proof' your mother?
My father has weekly visits and learns to react to balance issues (needing to respond to a gentle shove, maintaining balance while performing unusual postures, etc.) and general strength (core muscles in particular are valuable supports to arrest a fall).
The added bonus for my dad is that he enjoys the attention and performs his routine at home - he is 95. Memory is a challenge but I have drawn a chart in pictures which he ticks off upon completion. This goal oriented scheme also seems to pay dividends for his self esteem.
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Maybe $$ but an OT home visit will be thorough + the added bonus of a Professional for Mother to listen to (not just her 'kid').

OT will find the danger areas, not just of the home but from a mobility point of view & ask about medical issues too. Eg slipping on a mat can be not lifting the feet enough / feeling dizzy in the shower may blood pressure problems / falling out of bed can be lack of trunk strength.

I remember one poster who said their folks house was like a cruise ship it has so many grab rails LOL. (But they still fell 😞)
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I convinced my mother-in-law to get rid of her bath rug on her marble tile floor when I was the one who slipped and fell in her bathroom. I also slipped getting into her shower with the same marble tile floor.
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My mother is 94 and lives in Assisted Living and now Memory Care since 2014. Since 2015 she has fallen 69x, even with all the numerous safety features they have installed to help prevent falls from happening. Her shower looks like a fortress, she wears water shoes, has another new shower mat on the floor, an aide to help her, and STILL she falls in there on a bi-monthly basis. My mother could live in a padded room and still fall because she has no sense of danger, pays no attention, and listens to not ONE single thing anyone tells her. She likes to do things Her Way, you see. She's had broken ribs and sternum bones from various falls, but NOTHING else and not one single trip to the ER from a fall, believe it or not. I think she has guardian angels working overtime on her behalf. That and 200 lbs of padding on her bones.

Good luck and Godspeed my friend. And if you ever find the secret to preventing falls, please pm me.
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Just be aware no matter what you do falls WILL happen. What you try to do is make it less likely to happen.
Remove all rugs if possible. For sure remove mats, throw rugs even bathroom rugs. If you do remove carpeting some of the newer flooring that can withstand extended periods of time wet would be a good option.
One of the conversations you might want to have is...
What rehab facility would you want to go to when you fall. (Notice the when, not if)
What do you want us to do if you are not able to make decisions about your care? Do you want CPR? Do you want intubation? Do you want a feeding tube? There is a form that covers this (called a POLST in most areas some states have other terms)
Having a talk like this is important in any case but it might be a reality check for her.
All that said you can’t make her use hand rails, grab bars, or any other safety measure.
I know I should be careful but I still do “stupid” stuff I think we are all like that. To worry about falling every step you take is exhausting part of living is taking a risk, you just have to try to minimize the risk.

Some hospitals have (or had) programs that taught people how to minimize the chance of falls or other injury. You could call your local hospital and ask.
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https://www.shellpoint.org/blog/10-shocking-statistics-about-elderly-falls/

https://www.cdc.gov/injury/features/older-adult-falls/index.html
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