NDIS fall prevention interventions

Compared to the general population, people with disability face a much higher risk of injury. Among the many potential causes of injury that people with disability face, falls are at the very top of the list. Slips, trips and falls account for a whopping 43% of injury hospitalisations and 42% of injury deaths.

These numbers are deeply concerning, and it’s why our NDIS builders put such a big emphasis on fall prevention.

Because make no mistake, home modifications aren’t just about improving accessibility – they’re also about safety. Living safely is essential for living independently, and fall risk prevention is key to continued independence and freedom. Read on to learn what sorts of NDIS fall prevention interventions our home modification builders can provide you with.

The link between fall prevention and independent living

Prevention is better than cure – this is especially true when it comes to fall prevention at home.

People with disability often face challenges living independently in their own homes. What many don’t immediately appreciate however is that it isn’t just mobility that can be impacted. Oftentimes, living with disability also dramatically increases the risk of falling or tripping:

• Physical disability or injury can make it hard to perform everyday tasks safely
• Neurological conditions can affect balance and stability
• Musculoskeletal conditions can cause muscle weakness
• Low vision can make it hard to spot tripping hazards

It isn’t just the fall itself, either. Tripping or falling can aggravate certain conditions or injuries, while in other cases the occupant’s disability can make it hard to get back up unassisted after a fall. In some cases, people with disability can be stuck on the floor for hours.

Without fall risk prevention strategies and fall prevention interventions, participants face a considerable risk to their health and safety. Empowering people with disability to live independently means proactively tackling each of these issues. And that means preventing falls from happening in the first place.

While some hazards can be removed or overcome easily, others are built into the structure itself. In cases like this, home modifications play a key role in opening the home back up to people with disability.

Fall prevention at home – how can we prevent slips, trips, and falls with home modifications?

Ramp installation reduces the risk of stairs and steps

Ramp installation is often the first thing that comes to mind when thinking of NDIS home modifications, and for good reason. Public enemy number one when it comes to falls and trips? Stairs and steps – little wonder that these are often the first thing we look at when it comes to fall prevention at home!

Whether it’s the steps leading up to the front entrance or a small series of steps between rooms, mobility access modifications such as ramp installation dramatically reduces the risk associated with moving around the home.

In addition to ramps, our NDIS builders can reduce the risks associated with climbing stairs and steps in other ways too. Handrails give residents a way to support themselves as they ascend, while non-slip strips can be installed for extra grip.

Stepless entry removes threshold steps or door lips

Behind staircases and steps, entryways are arguably the biggest trip and fall hazards around the home. Front entrances, shower cubicles, sliding doors, and more often have small steps or lips which, although small, create tripping hazards that people with disability will need to navigate every day.

Stepless entry modifications focus on removing these minor hazards. Whether it’s installing stepless shower cubicles or making doorways flush with the floor around them, removing as many of these hazards as possible is an essential part of any fall prevention strategy.

Eliminating uneven ground

It isn’t just the inside of a home where tripping hazards can emerge – one part of the home that’s often overlooked is the outdoor environment.

While it’s not always possible to create a 100% consistent surface outdoors, it’s still possible to reduce the risk by focusing on key areas. Some footpaths may have large gaps between paving stones – an aesthetic choice that can increase the risk of falls when leaving the home. Our NDIS builders offer an NDIS landscaping service that focuses on identifying and addressing hazards in the outdoor environment. We can fill in these gaps outdoors, making it easier and safer for participants to come and go freely.

Non-slip surfaces make moving around home safer

In addition to uneven surfaces, slippery surfaces are another high-risk zone when it comes to fall risk prevention. A good example is shower cubicles, where running water and soap can make shower tiles slippery, dramatically increasing fall risk.

Non-stick surfaces play a big role in reducing this risk. They can range from simple modifications such as putting anti-slip tape on slippery wooden staircase, to complex NDIS home modifications like renovating bathrooms with tactile non-slip tiles.

Handrail installation for fall prevention

Handrails are a common sight in the homes of NDIS participants. And that’s for a good reason – while they may be simple modifications, handrails are incredibly versatile, and can support participants in many different ways. One of them is through preventing falls. Handrails can be an effective fall prevention intervention when installed in high-risk areas such as toilets or bathrooms by providing a point of stability, reducing the risk of a slip or fall.

Injury reduction strategies

While the goal is to prevent falls from occuring in the first place, oftentimes it’s impossible to 100% remove the risk.  That’s why fall prevention inverventions also include measures taken to reduce the likelihood of injury should a fall occur.

This can take many forms depending on the property being modified, but this can include simple measures such as padding along corners and sharp edges to reduce injury in high-risk areas, to more complex solutions such as personal alarm systems which can alert support workers and relatives of falls, enabling faster intervention.

Other fall prevention interventions

There are many different supports available to NDIS participants to reduce the risk of falls around the home. We here at Restore are home modification builders – it’s only natural that we open by focusing on role we play!

Of course, home modifications are only one part of a holistic fall prevention strategy. To maximise participant wellbeing and independence, our home modification builders work in tandem with other allied health professionals and supports to protect NDIS participants from falls:

• Assistive devices – equipment, tools, and products that support a person’s ability to move around home without falling
• More accessible furniture – low beds can prevent falls since they’re are easier to get in and out of, while also maintaining comfort
• Occupational therapy and exercise – allied health practitioners can reduce the risk of falls by building muscle strength and improving balance
• Hazard removal – certain hazards like rugs and furniture can be removed, reducing the risk of tripping

All of these different methods work together as part of a holistic strategy to protect the wellbeing of participants. Each one supports and complements the others – for example, mobility aids may require ramp installation and door widening to facilitate their usage.

Fall prevention for seniors

While our team may work primarily with NDIS participants, by no means are they the only people we can support. Seniors and the elderly often live with impaired mobility, vision, balance, and other conditions. As a result, they face just as high a risk of falling and also require fall risk prevention strategies to protect their wellbeing and independence.

Everyone has the right to live independently in their own home, and our NDIS builders in Melbourne committed to supporting that right regardless. The Restore Home Modifications team also works closely with seniors, providing a range of aged care home modifications. We work with aged care facilities, as well as individuals either as part of a Home Care Package or self-funded modifications.

Contact our NDIS builders in Melbourne about fall prevention interventions

Everyone deserves to be safe in their own home. For people with disability, a key part of that means identifying potential fall, trip, and slip risks in the home and taking steps to prevent them.

Fall prevention at home is essential to continued independent living, and home modifications play a key role. Whether it’s minor modifications like additional grab rails, or more extensive renovations like doorframe widening or stepless shower installation, our NDIS registered builders work closely with other allied health professionals. Together, we design and implement a unique fall prevention strategy to keep you safe at home.

Contact our team to find out how we can protect you from falls – contact our team today on 1300 333 746 or click here to request a quote.