28 May Safe house Elderly safety inspections
Elderly accidents around the house or unit:
Safe house – Falls burns & brain injuries are a common but often overlooked, cause of injury. Around one in three adults over 65 who live at home will have at least one fall a year, and about half of all these will have more frequent falls.
Most falls don’t result in serious injury. However, there is always a risk that a fall could lead to broken bones, and it can cause the person to lose confidence, become withdrawn and feel as if they have lost their independence.
What can happen after a fall?
- Falls can cause broken bones, like wrist, arm, ankle & hip fractures
- Falls can cause head injuries. These can be very serious, especially if the person is taking certain medicines ( like blood thinners)
- An older person who falls and hits their head should see their doctor right away to make sure they don’t have a brain injury.
- Many people who fall, even if they are not injured, become afraid of falling. This fear may cause a person to cut down on their everyday activities. When a person is less active, they become weaker and this increases their chances of falling.
What conditions make you more likely to fall?
- Lower body weakness
- Vison problems
- Foot pain or poor footwear
- Home hazards or dangers such as, broken or uneven steps
- Throw rugs or clutter that can be tripped over
- Vitamin D deficiency (that is not enough vitamin D in your system)
- Difficulties with walking and balance
- Use of medicines, such as tranquilizers, sedatives, or antidepressants. Even some over-the-counter medicines can affect balance and how steady you are on your feet.
- 7 in 10 people ages 65 and over who were hospitalised with a fall related injury had fallen at home.
- Falls accounted for almost three-quarters of hospital admissions (73%)
- More than half of emergency department presentations were for injuries that occurred in the home (54%)
- People aged 65 years and over accounted for nearly 95% of the total fall-related deaths.
- More than one in three community dwelling people aged 65 years and over falling annually.
- Over 92,150 fall injuries involving people 65 years and over resulted in hospitalisation in 2010-2011.
East Coast Building Inspections Safe house provides homeowners, investors & real estates with significant risk management protection for their homes. Safe house reports identify all safety hazards & recommend actions that should be undertaken to meet Australian Standards & ensure a property is safe for the occupants. It includes specific property details, and executive summary with photos, and action lists.
The Reports:
- Identify potential risks within a property
- Deliver crucial protection to homeowners, landlords & property managers
- Provide recommended actions
- Provide a safer environment for family members & tenants
- Address all legally required compliance inspections
Contents of safe house reports:
- Building hazards & damage
- External balconies, decks & stairs
- Internal stairs & balustrades
- Window height hazards
- Curtain cord hazards
- Glass hazards
- Slip hazards
- Trip hazards
- Fall hazards
- Electrical hazards
- Electrical safety switch
- Gas hazards (Natural, Propane, Butane, LPG & LNG excludes C02)
- Smoke alarms & fire safety items
- Fireplace/fixed heater hazards
- Inhalation/Contaminant/Ingestion hazards
- Hot water hazards
- Ventilation
- Moisture hazards
- Pest hazards
- Tree/branch hazards
- Security hazards
- Safe pool
- Pool fencing & gates
- Personal observation
- Other general risk areas
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