How to Avoid Slip-Related Injuries
Slip-and-fall accidents account for more than 25,000 injuries every day according to the U.S. National Safety Council. Second to automobile-related deaths, slip-and-fall accidents cost more than $100 billion dollars to treat, and are the leading cause of death in the workplace and the cause of more than 20 percent of disabling injuries. If you’re in a hotel, restaurant, or public building, you’re more likely to slip and fall than do anything else. And in your home, nearly half of all accidents are slip-and-fall related. Slip-and-fall accidents are also the leading cause of death in the home for elderly adults.
According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, in the United States each year, 33 percent of adults 65 and older receive treatment for a fall. If that statistic isn’t enough to get you to act, every 35 minutes or so, someone in the United States dies as a result of slipping and falling, which is also how some 90 percent of hip injuries occur in an elderly adult.
For those who slip and fall and live, between 20 percent and 30 percent still receive moderate to severe injuries (and not just hip fractures), and these injuries could severely hinder their ability to live independently. Also, not only can a fall cut short someone’s lifespan, but a fear of falling may make some activities impossible to do, or make someone unwilling to try new things.
One way to help prevent slip-and-fall accidents is to apply an anti-slip product to your floor, after properly preparing the surface, and then maintaining the floor appropriately. When determining the right product to use, keep in mind how much traffic the area gets (for instance, the living room is heavily trafficked in most homes, whereas a home office may not be), and of course, keep in mind that what works in a dry area probably won’t work in an area like your bathroom, which is where most slip-and-fall accidents take place.
You could always invest in non-slip bathtub mats and coating, which may last for up to three years if taken care of, or, you can invest in a bathroom remodel, which will last much longer than making simple cosmetic changes and ultimately increase the resale of your home, if that is something you may one day need to do. You should also consider who is using the bathroom. Will adults primarily use the bathroom? Children? Elderly adults? The older and younger the bathroom user, the more likely a slip-and-fall accident may occur.
But you don’t have to go it alone. Experts, like Independent Home, are available to help you make the decision that will work best in your home. With more than 10 years of experience focused exclusively on walk-in bathtubs (one of the easiest ways to ensure a slip-and-fall accident does not occur), Independent Home staff has a deep knowledge base, and the company itself has a variety of products from which you can choose your next bathroom. (See other blog posts about the best materials to use.)
For more information, or for a consultation, call 800-373-4322.
