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Although we tend to think of our home as a refuge and sanctuary, it can also present some serious risks of injury.
A particular challenge for the elderly is preventing falls. Falls normally become more frequent with advancing age and other risk factors such as muscle weakness, loss of balance, impediments to walking, or loss of vision.
The consequences of falls also increase in severity with advancing age. According to the BC Ministry of Health Planning:
- For senior citizens, the average length of hospital stay due to a fall is almost 50% longer than for any other cause of hospitalization
- Falls cause more than 90 percent of all hip fractures among seniors
- 20% of seniors who suffer a hip fracture die within a year
The good news is that falls are not an inevitable outcome of aging, and most falls are predictable and preventable. There are many options available to cost-effectively adapt a persons home to reduce their risk of falling. Our Occupational Therapists are experts in assessing the suitability of a home to its occupants unique medical situation, and in devising ways to maximize a persons ability to live independently and safely in their current home.
Safety Equipment
Our Occupational Therapists are trained to prescribe safety equipment that will help a person reduce the risk of falling or other injury while living an independent life.
Walkers & Canes
Walkers help a person continue to walk independently and confidently despite loss of balance or difficulty moving. Walkers may feature 2, 4 or no wheels, as best suits the users specific needs.
Transfer Equipment
These are devices that help those at risk of falling to transfer safely and independently from one place or position to another.
Wheelchairs
Wheelchairs help a person move about with or without using their legs, and are available in both manual and powered versions.
Improving your homes support for your independent lifestyle
Our Occupational Therapists are experts in conducting functional assessments of homes and their occupants, and in making recommendations to improve the degree of fit between the two. We can help you adapt your current home to increase its accessibility, and we can equally help you design such accessibility into plans for a future home.
Whether your primary goal is improved safety or independence, our Occupational Therapists can get you there by expertly assessing your unique situation and helping you develop and execute a cost-effective plan.
We provide our Home Accessibility assessments in the following Lower Mainland areas: West Vancouver, North Vancouver, Vancouver, Burnaby, New Westminster, Richmond, Delta, Surrey, White Rock, Langley, Port Moody, Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam, Pitt Meadows, Maple Ridge Abbotsford, Mission and Chilliwack.