Follow
Share
Find Care & Housing
When you asked this question on your last post earlier today, several of us told you there is no way to reduce elders from falling. Either place your husband back in Memory Care or hire in home help to assist you. There is no miracle answer here that we're not giving you!
Helpful Answer (9)
Reply to lealonnie1
Report

You can use a rollator, you can remove tripping hazards such as rugs, you can have a wheelchair for use, you can stay nearby, you can install grab bars, and I’m sure more ideas. There will still be falls. They are awful and inevitable. My sweet dad fell so many times despite so many precautions. Falls are the curse of the elderly, I’m sorry you’re watching this
Helpful Answer (10)
Reply to Daughterof1930
Report

An impossible dream for caregivers everywhere!
Common sense solutions, like "baby-proofing" your home. There is no perfect solution, or someone would be extremely rich who invented it.

Remove all tripping hazards and clutter, keep areas well lighted, install rails and grab bars. Wear non-slip sox, use walkers, wheelchairs, low edge showers, all the latest methods. They will still fall the second your back is turned.

Why a facility is so much safer...more sets of eyes watching. Yet they will still fall, it only takes a split second. Regardless, many eyes are better than just two.
Helpful Answer (6)
Reply to Dawn88
Report
SamTheManager Feb 5, 2026
I have seen demonstrations of suits that inflate when a person falls over. It's not ideal in any way and these are not ready for market kind of things to the best of my knowledge. But it was an interesting concept, to kind of have a type of blow up protection like an air bag but for your whole body.

Now, would you be able to convince someone with dementia to wear this? Would an elderly person without dementia resent having to wear an inflatable contraption? Hard to say. I liked the idea though.
(1)
Report
See 1 more reply
My fil hasn’t had a fall for a year, because he no longer tries to go to the dining table without his walker.
Helpful Answer (5)
Reply to PeggySue2020
Report

This past 2025 my Mom (96) did a slow slide out of her bed onto her butt and broke her pubic bone. She recovered from that, then in November was literally just standing in her kitchen and turned her head and lost her balance and fell, chipping off the end of her elbow. My Mom tools around her house very well inspite of having arthritis in her knees (and lots of other places). She lives in her own house with a set of stairs to her basement that she traverses several times a day.

All this to say that preventing falls is challenging to say the least. I'm assuming their senior's home has been "seniorized" by removing rugs, adding grab bars, making wider/uncluttered walk paths for them, wearing "sensible shoes), etc. Other than that, improving their flexibility and balance are very helpful, too. But if they have medical issues like vertigo, blood pressure drops, Meniere's disease, being on certain medications, etc. this will increase their risks.
Helpful Answer (9)
Reply to Geaton777
Report

It also is hard to prevent falls that are caused by a person forgetting how to stand, what feet are for, and how to walk. This periodically happens to my mom, who is age 97 1/2. At this point, my siblings and I think it's better for mom to have the occasional "soft fall" or "assisted fall" than to be confined to a bed or a chair 24/7.
Helpful Answer (11)
Reply to Rosered6
Report

Helpful Answer (2)
Reply to JoAnn29
Report
Rosered6 Feb 5, 2026
Yes, the OP appears to be hoping for different answers by asking essentially the same question in different ways.
(5)
Report
Lots of great advice here. Evaluate meds-some cause hypotension (low bp) made worse when a person stands or moves and gets dizzy, then falls. Assisted living has lots of folks watching if someone may fall. Elderly people fall. Assisted living may be a good, practical solution. After a recent surgery and then I’m in a small rehab facility, one exercise I did was to practice falling-on thick mats, supervised and I made sure to repeat it, so hopefully it’ll be muscle memory.
Helpful Answer (5)
Reply to Ariadnee
Report
SatchimosMom Feb 9, 2026
Oh! There’s a preferred method for falling? I’m very interested in learning about that. I’ll be asking Sir Google.
(2)
Report
Get a doctor to write up an OT?PT evaluation. It might be time for a wheelchair which Medicare will pay for if you go through the proper channels
Helpful Answer (4)
Reply to MACinCT
Report

I've seen padded shorts (not for incontinence) worn to prevent broken bones for those with osteoporosis.

Take a look at prescription meds. Many cause falls.

Strong legs, strong glutes, strong quads, strong hamstrings. For the women--work on upper body strength.

Keep kitchen floor mopped to prevent slippery grease areas. I've slipped and fallen twice in the kitchen and hit my hand hard.

Wear non skid shoes at all times.
Helpful Answer (6)
Reply to brandee
Report
Sandra2424 Feb 12, 2026
Be very careful with nonskid shoes. Elderly tend to not pick up their feet. I am a 73 yo PT and have tripped myself a few times. The commercial carpet at our local Macy's is a great tripping hazard. I am very picky about soles on shoes. Remind them to pick up their feet.
(1)
Report
There are ways to reduce elders from falling, and many of them have been listed here.
Good non skid shoes, physical therapy is phenomenal for keeping the muscles and balance in good shape. This is a great way to help prevent falls. Can they still happen? Yes, but preventing as much as possible is the best common sense for this issue.
I have a 98 year old friend who has had several falls in 2025, and none so far this year. She still lives alone, does her laundry, cooks, does crossword puzzles, watches Jeopardy, and has a life alert necklace for help when she falls. Everyone is so proud of her and her love for independence. Obviously, that is not the case for everyone, but she surely can inspire everyone to try and stay busy, fit, and mobile. Falls are scary, because they can break bones or even cause death, but as many preventative actions as possible really help for a longer and happier life.

Best of luck to you all.
🙏❤️🍀
Helpful Answer (3)
Reply to Tiger8
Report
Sandra2424 Feb 12, 2026
Be very careful with shoes. The new, popular thick soles make it difficult to feel where the floor is and can cause tripping. Also "grippy " soles make it much easier to catch and trip, especially on carpets. PT
(2)
Report
I can only speak for myself and my 97yr. old mother, but her #1 issue that notably increased the number of falls was dehydration. Trying to get her to drink water or anything other than milk has been a losing battle, though she understands how important it is. It improves her balance for walking. She's more clear-headed, less confused. She even says she feels stronger. That's quickly forgotten, though, like most things. So, she fell and broke her ankle last week. Right now she's probably as hydrated as she's been in years, via the IV she's hooked to at the hospital, but she won't be walking for weeks.
Helpful Answer (1)
Reply to ceci855
Report

Ask a Question
Subscribe to
Our Newsletter