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In a March 30, 2009 post (AARP Driver Safety Program), we wrote about the AARP Driver’s Safety Program.  For those of you who are interested in taking a fall course, many locations have opened up registration.

Since writing our previous post, it has come to our attention that many insurance carriers throughout the United States offer a multi-year discount to AARP graduates.

For our metro Detroit readers, the Birmingham Community House in Birmingham, Michigan is offering the course on Tuesday, October 6 and Wednesday, October 7 from 12:30 – 4:30.  There is a $12 materials fee for AARP members and a $14 fee for non-members.  Click here to link to their registration area.

Our out of state readers can find a class near them on the AARP site.

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Fall Prevention

By attacking a variety of fall factors, you can significantly reduce the chance of serious injury in seniors. Some tips include:

• Exercise regularly
• Have a medical professional (physician or pharmacist) review their medications (prescription and non-prescription)
• Have an eye doctor check their vision (yearly)
• Improve in-home lighting
• Eliminate hazards in the home that can lead to falls.
• Increase your home’s accessibility with grab bars, non-slip mats, etc.

Links:

Fall Prevention
Preventing Falls Among Seniors

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Low or Limited Vision

There are a number of things that you can do to accomodate seniors who have vision difficulties:

• Start with lighting, lots of it – task lighting, night lights and hallway lights. Be sure to make the lighting even by reducing dark, or high glare areas.
• Pay attention to door frames, light switches and stairways – Use contrasting paints, or brightly colored tape, to make them easier to discern.
• Make it easier to navigate the home – reposition furniture, eliminate clutter and use contrasting colored rugs.

Links:

Home and Kitchen Safety If You are Blind or Have Low Vision
Home Safety – Adapt to Vision
Home Safety Tips for Low Vision: Live Independently and Avoid Falling

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Home Safety for People with Alzheimer’s

While many of the above tips are relevant and helpful for protecting those with Alzheimer’s, there are a good number of tips that are more specifically relevant:

• Consider a NO SOLICITING sign for the front gate or door.
• Install childproof door latches on storage cabinets and drawers designated for breakable or dangerous items.
• Insert a drain trap in the kitchen sink to catch anything that may otherwise become lost or clog the plumbing.
• Adjust the water heater to 120 degrees to avoid scalding tap water.

Links:

Home Safety for People with Alzheimer’s Disease (PDF)
Home Safety and Alzheimer’s Disease

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Emergency Safety – File of Life:

The official website for the city of Fairfax, Virginia explains that the File of Life contains, “a program door decal, a File of Life Information Card and a vinyl cardholder for placement on your refrigerator door.

The File of Life information card has areas to record personal information concerning medical conditions, drug allergies, emergency contact numbers for friends and family members, doctors information, prescription information and any special circumstances rescue personnel should know.”

Links:

File of Life

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Prescription Safety

What can go wrong with prescription medicines? Plenty. Seniors take a lot of medicines and between interactions and incorrect usage, a lot can happen if you don’t prepare:

• Keep a list of every medication they are taking and take it to every medical appointment.
• The patient should always let the primary care physician know when another physician prescribes a new medication, or if they have any problems with a new medication.
• Try to use only one pharmacy for the prescriptions.
• Use a weekly or daily pill organizer, especially when taking several different medications, to help ensure that they get the right dose at the right time.
• Keep medications in their original containers, except for those they put in a pill organizer.
• Choose one day each year (their birthday is an easy reminder) to check the expiration dates of their medications.

Links:

Tips on Helping Manage Prescriptions

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Keep Your Seniors Safe from Scams

There are always people looking to take money from the elderly and with the economy worsening, the scammers are likely to become more aggressive while the potential victims are more vulnerable to the hope of economic salvation. Consider some of these tips:

• Help convince older people, who may be targets.
• Help older people recognize the “red flags” of fraud like, a promise that you can win money, make money, or borrow money easily.
• Recognize when older people have been victimized or may be in grave danger and know how to help them.
• Inform older people about how to reduce the number of unwanted sales calls and mailings they receive and how to deal effectively with telemarketers.

Links:

Tips on Avoiding Scams
More Tips on Avoiding Scams