So you’ve managed to eat well and stay active and healthy all year. In fact, you’ve never felt better; what else can you do to stay on your feet? Not trip over! Imagine all your healthy lifestyle efforts going to waste because you tripped over something. Mobile Rehab is providing a series of top tips for staying healthy at Christmas. This is to help you set good habits and carry them through to the new year.
Tip #5 – Stay safe in your home
If you’re active, eating well and generally looking after your health and wellbeing, this can all be undone if you have a fall in your own home. Do you know how to identify a trip hazard in your home? Here are some hot tips from our occupational therapists on how to ensure your home is safe these holidays:
Top Christmas Tips:
- If you have family or friends with small children visiting, put up a playpen to keep children’s toys away from walkways.
- Are you putting up Christmas decorations or trying to reach for presents hidden away? Ask for help from loved ones if trying to reach high areas / cupboards (a common area for falls is reaching) and never try to hang Christmas lights without help.
- Watch your drinks, those rum balls can be sneakily strong!
- Alone for Christmas? Ask your friends or family to help you set up a FaceTime or video calling so you can easily touch base with family over the Christmas break.
- If travelling to stay with family – make sure they have an accessible bathroom – will you need a grab rail installed or to hire some equipment to make sure you can manage? Ask for a bedroom close to the toilet for easy access overnight. Bring a night light so you can find your way in an unfamiliar location if you’re up at night.
All year ’round tips:
- Do you know what the trip hazards are in your home? This can include rugs, floor shower frames, bookcases in narrow hallways and even PETS!
- Do you require handrails next to toilets, showers and the front/back steps?
- Do your visitor’s children leave toys on the floor?
- Is your bed at a height that is easy to get in and out of each day/night?
- Is everything that you use in your kitchen within reach while you stand flat-footed on the floor?
If you’d like a home safety assessment conducted by a Mobile Rehab Occupational Therapist, get in touch with our team, on 1300 363 483 to make your appointment today.
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