Falls are a significant concern for the elderly. In fact, more than one-third of seniors fall each year. Many of these individuals suffer from serious health problems as a result. If you have an elderly loved one, consider talking to a caregiver in Memphis about ways of keeping him or her safe at home. Having an elderly care provider to help your loved one out around the house is one effective way to protect him or her. A caregiver can also be on the lookout for potential safety hazards in the home. 
How Falls Occur
There are many potential risk factors of falling . Some of these risk factors are controllable through home modifications that an elder care provider may recommend. Additionally, the in-home caregiver can be on the lookout for side effects from your loved one’s medications. Seniors often take multiple medications, some of which can cause dizziness that may make a person more likely to fall. Seniors can also fall because of muscle weakness, poor flexibility, difficulty walking, and impaired vision. A senior who is having trouble seeing properly may misjudge the distance between one step and the next, for example. Other seniors may fall because they are wearing improper footwear, perhaps because they have trouble putting on sturdier shoes by themselves.
What Complications Can Result
For a young person who is in good overall health, a fall may not seem like a major problem. It may only result in some bumps and bruises. For a senior, a fall may result in a lengthy hospitalization, permanent physical limitations, chronic pain, and sometimes even death. Seniors are at a high risk of osteoporosis, which means they are highly susceptible to suffering from fractures when they fall. Hip fractures are particularly common. In many cases, seniors who suffer from a fracture must endure a lengthy rehabilitation period and they may never regain their full physical function or independence. Falls are a leading reason why families turn to a caregiver agency for help.
How Falls Can Be Prevented
However, the time to look for an elder care provider is before a fall occurs. Caregivers can help keep your loved one safe by providing help with bathing, dressing, laundry, meal preparation, and housekeeping. They can also identify ways of making the home environment safer, such as by removing loose rugs and clutter.