Good for the elderly
According to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA), more than 60% of accident-related deaths among the elderly are caused by falls involving stairs or steps, and studies have shown that people over the age of 75 are up to five times more likely than younger people to suffer a stair-related injury than younger people.
A 2017 research found that between 1990 and 2012, an average of slightly more than 1 million people were treated in emergency rooms each year for falls on stairs, which is somewhat higher than the national average.
If you are an older adult who lives in a home with two steps or a full staircase of steps, whether indoors or outdoors, it is critical that you make the required modifications to make those stairs as safe as possible in order to avoid any potential damage to yourself or others. What tools and materials are required for adapting stairwells for the elderly?
Every 11 seconds, a senior citizen is treated in the emergency department for a fall-related injury. Every 19 minutes, a senior is killed as a result of a fall. What Are the Most Common Reasons for Elderly People to Fall?
According to a 2016 assessment of literature, stairwells account for anything from 7 to 36 percent of all falls. A 2017 research found that between 1990 and 2012, an average of slightly more than 1 million people were treated in emergency rooms each year for falls on stairs, which is somewhat higher than the national average.
Approximately one older adult (age 65+) is injured or killed by a fall in the United States every second of every day, making falls the top cause of injury and mortality in this age group. Every year in the United States, one out of every four older persons will experience a fall, making falls a public health problem, particularly among the elderly population.
A multitude of factors contribute to seniors falling down stairs, with health, environmental, and behavioral factors being the most prevalent. Reduced eyesight, weakness, tiredness, loss of balance, and a sedentary lifestyle are some of the health consequences of diabetes.
Automobile accidents are the greatest cause of unintentional injury, with stairwell and stairwell incidents being in second and third place respectively. Every year, 12,000 people are killed or injured in stairwell accidents.
The chance of suffering an unending number of injuries by going down the steps is quite high. Sprains, strains, bruises, and small cuts and scratches are just a few of the minor injuries that can occur as a result of this activity. A stair fall can also result in more serious injuries such as fractured bones, spine injuries, deep lacerations, and concussions.
What are some of the factors that contribute to falls? Normal changes associated with age, such as deteriorating vision or hearing, might increase your risk of falling. Illnesses and physical ailments might impair your ability to maintain your balance and strength. Poor lighting or carpets on the floor in your house might increase your chances of tripping or slipping.
‘An 80-year-old frequently cannot withstand and recuperate from stress in the same way that a 20-year-old can,’ explains Cheng. Approximately 4.5 percent of senior patients (70 years and over) died as a result of a ground-level fall, compared to 1.5 percent of non-elderly patients, according to Cheng’s research.
According to Mourey (2009), Post Fall Syndrome (also known as Psychomotor Regression Syndrome) is described as ″decompensation of the systems and mechanisms implicated in postural and walking automatisms.″ It manifests itself either insidiously as a result of an increase in frailty or brutally as a result of a trauma (fall) or an operation.
According to the findings of the study, which was published in The Journal of Trauma: Injury, Infection, and Critical Care, older persons were three times more likely to die following a minor fall than individuals younger than 70.
You should keep them quiet and laying down until assistance arrives. Assuming there are no evident indicators of harm, offer to assist the individual in getting back on their feet if necessary. It is critical that you merely provide assistance and do not attempt to do the task for them. Encourage them to take their time getting up, and to do it slowly and deliberately.
People over the age of 85 have an increase in their annual fall rate of around 50%. It is estimated that 25 percent of all falls end in an injury, which can range from moderate bruises to a broken hip. Hip fractures are a particularly serious result of falling, with a one-year death rate of around 25% following a hip fracture being the most common outcome.
Professionals who do research on why individuals trip and fall on or off stairwells have discovered three primary contributing factors: Bad design, construction, and maintenance of stairs, as well as the absence or malfunctioning of handrails, inadequate lighting, and other elements such as poor tread surfaces, are all examples of environmental concerns.