How to Get Fall Protection

For many years, my grandparents lived next to an elderly woman who lived alone and was afraid she would slip and fall. She was even more frightened that she wouldn't be discovered until it was too late. Together, she and her neighbors devised their own fall protection system to help her feel safer.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Reliable neighbor
• Safety aids
• Panic button

1. Evaluate your home's safety. Go from room to room to check for safety hazards, such as throw rugs that do not have slip proof mats under them, staircases without railings and slip proof treads, showers without safety bars and rickety chairs being used as step stools.

2. Have all home safety hazards corrected, either by a handy son or daughter or by a licensed home improvement contractor.

3. Once the house is as safe as you can make it, it is time to talk to your neighbors about setting up a daily "I'm okay" signal. My grandparents' neighbor raised her shade each morning and lowered it each evening to let them know that she hadn't fallen down or become gravely ill overnight.

4. If your neighbors aren't reliable or you don't have a close knit neighborhood, set up a fall protection program by phone. Call a friend or relative and leave a quick "I'm okay," on the answering machine each morning. If he or she doesn't hear from you one morning, the callee should place a call to you to ask if you are okay. If there is no response, he or she will know to call 911 immediately.

5. Set up a second method for immediate slip and fall assistance by subscribing to an alarm service that includes a portable panic button. This way, if you do fall and don't drop your button, you can press it for immediate assistance instead of waiting for someone to see that you haven't given the signal that you are okay.

Tips & Warnings

• Some contractors specialize in fall protection and may have additional safety suggestions. While listening with an open mind can't hurt, don't allow the contractor to pressure you into agreeing to expensive remodeling projects, like a complete bathroom remodel, without taking time to think it over. Ideally, you should ask another licensed contractor for a price quote, too.
• If you can't afford to subscribe to an alarm service, consider a lower tech version of the panic button. Buy a set of walkie talkies and give one to a neighbor or carry a cheap pre-paid cell phone in a clip on holder.