Falls in the home are a major problem for seniors. Each year more than a third of adults sixty five and older will fall. Falls are the leading cause of injuries among older adults by more than a four to one ratio. These falls are more than twice as likely to occur in the home as anywhere else. In spite of these disturbing statistics there is a strong reluctance on the part of many people to make home modifications to decrease the probability of falling in their home and injuring themselves. Why is this? Many people don’t want to face the reality of these facts and like to pretend they are just as spry as they used to be. Other people think that any changes they make to their home will make it look institutional or will decrease the resale value of their home. Other people just don’t think they can afford it. I say that you can’t afford not to be proactive in preventing fall injuries in your home. Here are a couple of other statistics you should consider. Of the older Americans who do fall each year, one half will suffer moderate to severe injuries and forty percent will lose their ability to remain independent, suffer reduced mobility, and increase their risk of premature death. A fall is frequently the catalyst that leads to people losing the ability to live in their home and even losing the home itself. I recently read that sixty one percent of all Bankruptcy Filings in the U.S. were seniors over sixty five who had to deal with medical expenses for health issues that were directly linked to a previous fall in their lives.
Have I got your attention now? At Solid Rock Enterprises, Inc. we have a number of fall protection packages available to help prevent fall injuries in your home. Many of these falls take place in the bathroom so we offer Safeway Steps, curbless showers, a vast array of different grab bars, as well as special fall protection flooring that vastly reduces the possibility of injury if you do fall. We also install grab bars, handrails, and fall protection flooring throughout the home to reduce the risk of fall related injuries. Don’t wait until after you or a loved one has already fallen and possibly broken a hip to think about fall protection. Call us today at (540) 384-2064 and protect your independence
