Staying Safe on the Stairs

Statistics by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents report that people over 65s are the most at risk group suffering the highest mortality rate and severe injuries from falls.

Some falls can cause broken or fractured bones, bruising and cuts often needing hospital treatment and in some cases long stays in hospital with many months of rehabilitation.

The most serious accidents by a large proportion happen on the stairs with over 60% of deaths resulting from accidents on the stairs – a very scary thought!

Your stairs don’t need to be a scary place though. Some accidents can be prevented so here’s our Quick Stair Safety Tips of most common things we see every day that could help keep older people stay safer on the stairs:

• Poor Lighting. We often come across poorly lit stairs so make sure your stairs and hallway are well lit.
• Loose carpet or rugs. Major trip hazards like these can easily be avoided by removing rugs altogether and fastening down any loose carpet you may find, or perhaps replacing the carpet if necessary.
• Clear the clutter. Make sure your stairs are free from any objects lying on the stairs as these can be a potential trip hazard.
• Reduced Mobility. If you are having mobility or health problems that cause you to struggle getting up and down stairs then seriously think about other solutions to avoid a potential accident happening.  Sometimes having a handrail on both sides of the stairs will help or installing a stairlift or Home Lift will make “climbing” the stairs safer.

“I wish I had it sooner” are the words our customers say to us every day, so if you or someone you know could benefit from having a lift to stay safe on the stairs, give us a call on 08000 19 22 10 or 01249 815312.

We have a wide range of stairlifts and Home Lifts available to help make your journeys up and down stairs easier.

Accident Statistics Source: http://www.rospa.com/home-safety/advice/older-people/