Juli Anne Gibson joins Suzanne to talk about home safety, and a key aspect of this for seniors is fall prevention. Being injured in a fall is the number one reason seniors aren't able to go back their homes and live independently. 75% of home falls are preventable. It's the simple things that cause falls or tripping, there are easy things to do to prevent them. Juli Anne, founder and CEO of Real Estate 55 Plus, talks about how to assess your home for the future to "age in place" and "right-size" your living domain.

Juli Anne says, "We work a lot with the Red Cross. The Red Cross actually has a Fall Prevention program, and they will come in and assess your home. So we follow their guidelines on what we can recommend to a senior, and we're teaching workshops, we will provide that information to them.

"When we age, our sight changes, our hearing changes, our sense of smell, our balance, and our touch. So what we used to be able to see in front of us, now oftentimes it will look like a black hole. And so, walking through your home, you’re saying, am I seeing this as a continuation, or does it look like a stair to myself? So if you have carpets, rugs that are a darker or lighter color than your other flooring, you may want to consider removing those. Because at some point, you may think that's a hole, and you're gonna try to step over it, and you're gonna fall. We see that happen quite a bit. 

"Getting out of their bathtubs, you have all kinds of grab bars that come in permanent or semi-permanent installation, a whole package in a movement called Universal Design. So you can retrofit your home, so that you can age successfully as possible... If you have chronic arthritis and it's going to get worse, or you have a flare up, you want to make sure that doors and handles are easy for you to maneuver. So not a round handle, but a lever-style handle.

"If you can spend five or 10 minutes a day on balance, there are some chair exercises that you can download online, or get a video for. You can also go to a local YMCA or gym that's going to focus on balance, and also your core. For many of us, when we start getting tipsy, if we have really good balance, it's gonna prevent a fall. And with our core, if we can have that strength, and we're back, it's gonna have a huge, huge impact on our being able to regain balance."

Learn more:
* Real Estate 55 Plus: https://realestate55plus.com/
* Juli Anne Gibson: https://realestate55plus.com/team/
* Call 800-964-1553 to speak to a live person

Hear more shows with Juli Anne Gibson: https://answersforelders.com/tag/juli-anne-gibson/

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Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks: https://alzheimersspeaks.com/

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