Caregivers' Guide to Fall Prevention

Caregiving can be a lot to handle, especially if only one or two people are doing most of the work. Building a care team can help. Having others - such as family members, friends, neighbours, and professionals - to talk to and problem-solve with can make caregiving more manageable and less overwhelming. When it comes to preventing and managing falls, there are professionals and community services...

Starting a conversation with the person you care for about preventing falls isn’t easy. Caregiving can be complex and for some, having these types of conversations about how to prevent falls are extremely difficult. And that’s OK. Listen to this episode for tips on how have those tough conversations. This episode is one part of The Caregivers' Guide to Fall Prevention. You can access the full guid...

Knowing how to safely help the person you care for if they fall is important for their safety and yours. Learn about how and when to help someone get up and when the fallen person needs medical attention. Rehearse how to recover from a fall with the person you care for using the Fall Action Plan, which outlines what to do if an older person falls when they are alone. Finally, it's a good idea to d...

In this episode, you’ll find practical tips and strategies for preventing falls. You'll find out why certain things can increase the risk of falls and what you can do to address them: • Blood pressure management • Eye health and vision • Footwear • Hearing health • Home modifications, equipment and devices • Medications • Mental and emotional health • Movement and physical activity • Moving safely...

Most falls happen at home. Falls can also happen outside – such as on front doorsteps or an icy driveway – or while out and about in the community. The reasons that make someone more likely to fall are known as “risk factors”. Risk factors for falls can include things such as: • Older age • Mobility, balance and strength issues • Certain health conditions (e.g., arthritis, cognitive impairment, Pa...

This guide provides simple and practical information for caregivers about fall prevention. In Canada, millions of people like you provide care to someone 65 years of age or older. Caregivers are commonly family members, friends and community members who provide physical and/or emotional support to someone needing care. Many caregivers are also facing their own challenges related to their caregiver...

The Caregivers' Guide to Fall Prevention comes from Parachute, Canada's national charity dedicated to injury prevention. In this introduction, you'll hear what's included in the guide, how we developed the information working with people providing volunteer care for older adults, and you'll also hear a message from Kathy Ford, who cared for her husband in the last years of his life as he lived wit...