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Palliative Care Platform

Palliative Care Platform

Caring Tips >Home Safety

Top 10 Fall Risks at Home

Fall Risk at Home
Recommendation
Fall Risk at Home:
Slippery floor
Recommendation:
Dry as soon as possible and always keep the floor dry
Fall Risk at Home:
No assistive devices to help the patient stand up from the toilet
Recommendation:
Install stable handrails in the proper positions
Fall Risk at Home:
Excessively high thresholds at the front door and toilet entrance lead to falls
Recommendation:
Lower the height of the threshold
Fall Risk at Home:
Chairs being too high or too low
Recommendation:
Install an armchair with suitable height and size
Fall Risk at Home:
Dim light
Recommendation:
Improve the lighting system to provide sufficient light
Fall Risk at Home:
Use of old shirts as doormat, which may cause trip and fall
Recommendation:
Choose suitable non-slip doormats
Fall Risk at Home:
Doormat with damaged edges may cause trip and fall
Recommendation:
Choose non-slip doormats and carry out regular maintenance
Fall Risk at Home:
Passages blocked by clutter at home
Recommendation:
Reduce the clutter at home and keep it clean and tidy
Fall Risk at Home:
Standing on foldable chairs or chairs with wheels to reaching objects
Recommendation:
Avoid placing objects at high positions or seek help from others
Fall Risk at Home:
Cracks or broken tiles on the floor that may cause trip and fall
Recommendation:
Repair the broken parts as soon as possible to reduce accidents

Consult your occupational therapist in case of any questions.

Hygiene at Home

  • Keep the indoor environment well-ventilated and dry
  • If the air is stale or there is an irritating smell, use a small fan or open the windows to increase ventilation so as to reduce feelings of discomfort
  • If the patient is fragile, do not expose him/her directly to wind. Remove the patient from the room before opening the window to allow better ventilation
  • Do not use air freshener to cover up bad odours; maintaining air circulation is most important

Consult your occupational therapist in case of any questions.

Home Environment Assessment and Improvement Services

  • Depending on the individual needs of patients, occupational therapists will assess the home environment and suggest appropriate modifications in order to facilitate caring at home
  • According to individual circumstances, we can provide on-site training to reduce the chance of accidents. Carers can then take care of the patient safely and effectively at home
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