Your aging parents are one fall away from disability.

As older people age, common household falls could lead to loss of independence and even death.

Have you walked through your parents' home to check for obstacles?

What about  such innocent items as throw rugs?  Do they have anti-skid bottoms?

What happens if your eighty-year-old mother leans over too far to grab a can from a low shelf?  Could she lose her balance?  Should items be kept on low shelves?

A 1998 study found the average cost for treatment from fall injuries was $19,440.  That was ten years ago so the price will probably be much higher now. 

But what about the emotional costs?  What happens to your parents when they must go into institutionalized care because a fall has robbed them of their ability to live alone?

Something is being done, thanks to groups like Elderlink, which are working to protect seniors in their homes so falls don't happen.

Read Home Safety a Priority for Seniors   

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