How Safe is Your Home?

March 3, 2020 – March is patient safety month so let’s take some time to explore many different aspects of safety. This week we are going to focus on how to be safe in your home.

First we must identify what safety hazards can be found in your home. These items are very commonly found in many of our houses and they are not often thought of as safety hazards.

1. Rugs: The bumps and uneven surfaces can catch our feet
2. Pets: These can become tripping hazards as they run around our feet or jump up on us
3. Darkness: Poorly lit walkways, especially if we wake up at night, can cause issues with our balance and safety
4. Cords: Any exposed cords can be tripped on
5. Stairs: Any stairs that are too steep or too narrow can be difficult to navigate
6. Low Stools or Chairs: Toilet seats, kitchen chairs, or bar stools can be difficult to sit down on with control and to stand up from with good balance and strength

Making simple changes to these items or eliminating those items that we can (of course we wouldn’t eliminate our pets) can be a big step forward in preventing a fall and causing further medical issues such as a hospitalization or a stay in a nursing home.

If you are worried about these issues or falling in general please call us in Louisville at 402-234-3333 or in Plattsmouth at 402-298-4747.

Your Witte Physical Therapy team #homegrown #backtolife