The Consumer Product Safety Commission or, CPSC has reported something disturbing, and that is that older Americans are more likely to suffer from injury and even fatalities from hidden home hazards. Older Americans are 65 years and older, and they are more likely to end up with injuries even if they do not succumb to it from products in the home which send them to the hospital. There is only 16 percent of older Americans in the population, but according to the CPSC, they have made up 71 percent of consumer product-related deaths.
Three Million Older Americans Visit The ER For Product-Related Injuries
Many hospitalizations of older Americans are due to these injuries related to products, and that is because they are not aware of the hidden dangers in their homes. Therefore, the only way to minimize future injuries is to provide more awareness about this serious issue. Therefore, these individuals can become more mindful about what they are consuming.
The most common injuries reported are falls, as they are more likely to suffer from falls than their younger counterparts. Other hazards are fires, carbon monoxide poisoning, accidents pertaining to adult bed rails, and transportation. Drownings also happen quite often, which accounts for the deaths that happen.
A Deeper Look Into Accidents That The Elderly Suffer From
One of the most common ways of injury or death is by falling, but fires also happen too often. Cooking and smoking materials are likely to catch on fire, as well as clothing fire deaths have been reported among older Americans. There are also plenty of drownings that happen because of the misuse of spas, swimming pools, and bathtubs.
Transportation can also be problematic because there are plenty of older adults that get into accidents with e-scooters, bicycles, and off-highway vehicles. Also, heating devices, engine-driven tools, and generators can cause carbon monoxide poisoning. And finally, bed rail entrapments happen often because they do not meet the safety standards, which causes a risk for entrapment.
Therefore, victims who end up succumbing to bed rail entrapment usually end up suffocating because they can become wedged or stuck between the mattress or bed and the bed rails. They can also get stuck between the dresser and the bed. As you can see, it is easy for these older adults to get severely injured to the point of death from these products. The only way to prevent so many injuries and death is that they become more aware of how to keep themselves safe.
How Can Older Americans Keep Themselves Safe?
Older Americans and their caregivers can learn about the safety measures when it comes to these products. The first thing they need to do is to install handrails on both sides of the stairs. That will help prevent falls from happening. Secondly, they need to keep the stairs free of items so no clutter can be on there which will increase the chances of them tripping.
It is also essential to keep the floors clean as well as to remove loose items which could cause a fall, such as cords and loose carpeting, and to ensure that mats and rugs are non-skid. It is also essential to not wear loose clothing while cooking and to also keep smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors on each floor level. Do not smoke while in bed, and also watch the food closely as it cooks.
Never swim alone, and if they are not sure about swimming, they should take lessons. Using a floatation device is the best thing to do. Also, only buy bed rails that are up to date with safety standards, and never keep ones that have been recalled.
Taking steps such as those will help minimize and even prevent injuries from happening among older Americans.
