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The Importance Of Lighting For Senior Safety

Our vision is vitally important to our overall health and safety. Naturally, those with vision impairments take precautions to get around safely. Everything from glasses to walking sticks can be utilized to ensure that nothing is bumped into and that no slips and falls occur. Unfortunately, slips and falls are inevitable. And they happen far too often to Canadian seniors.

Falls are a top cause of injuries in Canada.

Just last month, Sheryl Ubelacker of the Canadian Press published a Global News report labelling unintentional falls as the most common cause of injury in Canada. “Unintentional falls are the most common form of injury across the country: every day last year, falls resulted in almost 1,800 reported emergency department visits and 417 hospital admissions, says a new report by the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI),” she reveals.

As can be expected, strength and balance diminish with age. This is a top reason why seniors are more likely to fall than others. However, it should not be ignored that a poorer sense of vision is also a culprit for why so many slips and falls take place. Bumping into objects and slipping on floor-strewn items are major causes for injury. The Government of Canada acknowledges the importance of recognizing the changes in our vision as we age.

“For most seniors, normal age-related vision loss can be corrected with glasses, medication, or surgery,” says Canada.ca, “Even with more serious conditions, using vision aids and making changes to their homes and routines can help seniors stay safe and independent. There are also many services available to help seniors adjust to vision loss.”

Improving bathroom lighting is an important safety precaution.

It’s no secret that the majority of slips and falls take place in the bathroom. We’ve regularly highlighted the fact that the slick surfaces combined with the presence of water make slipping and falling common occurrences in bathrooms. Poor lighting in bathrooms can also increase the risk of falls.

“Proper lighting is essential to making any bathroom safer,” agrees John Burfield on LifewayMobility.com, “Make sure that all light fixtures are equipped with the highest allowable wattage to maximize brightness. If the lighting in your bathroom is limited you may want to consider having an extra fixture installed. An automatic night-light is also helpful for nighttime trips to the bathroom.”

We’d like to help you see the light!

At LifeCare Mobility Solutions, we offer a variety of home bathroom modifications to help you with your basic daily activities. Among them are such easy use fixtures as oversized or lowered light switches. This helps the senior in your home to have easy access to the lights in the bathroom. It’s an essential part of keeping your elderly loved one as safe as possible.

“Protect the safety of your aging parent by providing plenty of light in their bathroom,” affirms ProtectAmerica.com, “A low-intensity light fixture might not be bright enough to help them see and avoid tripping hazards. If you feel the bathroom’s illumination is insubstantial, head to the hardware store to get an upgrade.”

If you have any questions about the bathroom modifications offered by LifeCare Mobility Solutions, please don’t hesitate to call us at 416-267-9800 or email us at info@lifecaremobility.ca. You may also contact us by filling out the form on our Contact page!

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