As your parents or loved ones get older and require more care and more of your time, one of the major events that can easily become a crisis is a fall. According to the CDC, millions of older adults visit the emergency room for falls every year. And with their desire for independence or their inability to remember their physical limitations, this can be a seemingly unwinnable battle.
It can feel like you need to watch their every move to keep them safe, but there are strategies to help your loved one remain as independent as possible while reducing their risk of falling and hurting themselves.
Environmental factors
Many fall prevention checklists and advice focuses on reducing the trip hazards in their living space. This is key, especially if your parents are living in their own home, but it’s not the only type of help you can utilize to help them stay on their feet.
Lighting and clear visibility of hazards
Poor lighting contributes to many falls, especially during nighttime bathroom trips or early morning activities. Install motion-activated lights in hallways, bathrooms, and stairways, or use lights that cannot be switched off. These lights mitigate the risk of being unable to find switches in the dark and keep often-used pathways illuminated when movement is detected.
Consider adding extra lighting in areas that tend to be dim, remembering that your parents’ tolerance for dimness may not be the same as your own. You might even try wearing sunglasses or squinting as you move through their living space to better understand areas that may be hard for them to navigate.
Floor safety and clear pathways
Slippery or uneven surfaces pose significant risks. Remove or replace loose rugs, especially those without non-slip backing. If your parent is attached to certain rugs, use double-sided tape or rug grippers to keep them firmly in place. Flatten down any curled edges in the same way.
Keep hardwood floors clean and dry. Mark changes in floor height, such as single steps between rooms, with bright tape to make them more visible. As often as you visit, clear pathways of clutter, electrical cords, and furniture that might create obstacles.
Supportive features and accessibility
Even when your parents live at home, there are changes to their living space that will be non-negotiable. Install grab bars in bathrooms, particularly near toilets and in shower areas. Choose bars with textured surfaces for a secure grip even when wet.
Where possible, make sure there are handrails on both sides of staircases and that they extend slightly beyond the top and bottom steps. For single-level homes, consider adding handrails along long hallways where your parent might need extra stability.
Reducing physical demands
One of the more underrated benefits you can provide your loved one is literally putting their life within reach. Reorganize frequently used items to eliminate the need for reaching, climbing on step stools, or bending down. Move everyday dishes, medications, and clothing to easily accessible shelves. Store heavier items at waist level to prevent strain when lifting.
If possible, consider installing a stair lift if your parent struggles with stairs but needs to continue using multiple levels of their home. While this is an expensive investment for many, it can dramatically reduce fall risk while maintaining access to all areas of their living space.
Physical therapy
There are a lot of steps to take to reduce the environmental risks of your loved ones’ living space. Unfortunately, these changes alone still have limitations. Your parent will still need some degree of independence and mobility, which naturally carries inherent risks when unsupervised. This is where another strategy comes into play: helping them reduce their own risk of falling.
The idea behind physical therapy for fall prevention is creating layers of protection that work even when you’re not present. As you spend energy and time making their living space safer, they’ll spend time improving their physical capabilities to navigate daily activities with greater confidence and stability. Stronger muscles and intentional balance training can reduce their risk of falls no matter what their living situation might be.
Strength training
Muscle weakness, particularly in the legs and core, significantly increases fall risk. Everyone naturally loses muscle mass as they age, but targeted exercises can slow this process and even rebuild strength.
Our physical therapists can design a strength training program appropriate for your parent’s current fitness level and any existing health conditions. Exercises often use resistance bands, light weights, or simple body weight movements that can be performed safely at home.
Balance training fundamentals
Balance training goes beyond simply being able to walk in a straight line. Professional balance training addresses the complex systems your body uses to maintain stability, including vision, inner ear function, and proprioception (the body’s sense of where it is in space).
Specific balance exercises might include moving to and from different surfaces, walking heel-to-toe, or performing movements that challenge stability in controlled ways. These exercises help your parent react more effectively to unexpected situations that might otherwise result in falls.
Flexibility and mobility work
Stiff joints and limited range of motion can contribute to fall risk by making it harder to recover from stumbles or navigate obstacles. Gentle stretching and mobility exercises help maintain joint function and improve overall movement quality.
Focus areas often include ankle flexibility for better ground clearance when walking, hip mobility for improved stepping ability, and spinal flexibility for better posture and balance.
What to expect from balance training and fall prevention
As your parents’ primary caregiver, we don’t want physical therapy to be an overwhelming burden on your time or mental energy. Let us know how we can work with you to make this process as simple and beneficial as possible with the demands of your schedule.
Professional fall risk intervention typically begins with a comprehensive assessment. One of our physical therapists will evaluate your parent’s strength, balance, walking pattern, and any specific risk factors related to their health conditions or medications.
Initial assessment and goal setting
During the first appointment, expect your parent’s therapist to ask about previous falls, near-falls, and specific activities that make your parent feel unsteady. We may also be able to assess the home environment and recommend specific modifications based on these needs.
Your therapist will work with you and your parent to establish realistic, meaningful goals. These might include walking more confidently, reducing fear of falling, or maintaining independence in specific activities like grocery shopping or gardening.
Treatment sessions and progression
Physical therapy sessions typically occur 2-3 times per week initially, with the frequency decreasing as your parent progresses. Each session builds on previous work, gradually increasing challenge levels as strength and confidence improve.
Treatment often includes both individual exercises and functional activities that mirror real-life situations. For example, your parent might practice stepping over obstacles, reaching for items while maintaining balance, or recovering from simulated stumbles.
Home exercise programs
Your loved one will receive a home exercise program to maintain and continue building on gains made during in-person sessions. These “homework” exercises are designed to be performed safely without supervision.
The home program typically includes a mix of strength, balance, and flexibility exercises that can be completed in 20-30 minutes several times per week.
These home exercises are critical to enabling progress with your parents’ strength and balance, but we understand it can be an additional burden on caregivers. Let us know how our team can assist with following up with, encouraging, and making reminders for your loved one to keep doing these exercises at home.
Many people see improvements in balance and confidence within 4-6 weeks of consistent participation, though individual results vary based on starting fitness level and adherence to the plan of care.
Fall prevention strategies and support from Carolina Strong
If you’re ready to give your parent—and yourself—greater confidence and peace of mind, professional physical therapy can provide the expertise and support needed for effective fall prevention.
We’ll be happy to answer any questions you have about how this might work for your specific situation. Start a conversation with our team by calling one of our clinics or by requesting an appointment online today.