Senior Safety Week - Walker Safety
Safety is a top priority at Green Acres Foundation and our residents agree. Results from our 2023 resident satisfaction survey showed that 98% of Green Acres residents feel safe and secure in their building!
Senior Safety Week (November 6 – 12) is a great time to brush up on safety tips, especially with winter just around the corner. This year we are highlighting four wheeled walker safety.
Walkers for Mobility Aids
24% of Canadian seniors aged 65 and older struggle with mobility, with many using walkers to aid their movement. Walkers have many health benefits and can be life changing.
Improves Physical Health – walkers promote a healthier lifestyle of walking and exercise which can also improve mental health.
Improves Mental Health – Along with the benefits of exercise for mental health, walkers can also help people regain independence and self esteem. People may need less assistance to move around and can go wherever they please.
Provides Pain Relief – walkers can help reduce the stress on the body and improve muscle strength.
Provides Safety – if used correctly, walking aids can reduce fatigue and falls
Even though falls are preventable, they are the leading cause of injury-related hospitalizations among people 65 and older in Canada. Falls can be reduced by following proper use of mobility aids. If mobility aids are used incorrectly, there is an increase safety risk to the individual as well as the safety of others. It is important to brush up on safety tips to keep our buildings safe places for everyone to live and work.
Five Walker Safety Tips
Make sure your walker is the right fit for you
Your walker should be calibrated for your body. Borrowing a walker from a friend could put you at risk of injury.
Keep up with maintenance
Many Green Acres communities provide regular walker clinics and tune ups. Check your lodge activity calendar or ask your activity coordinator for more information.
If you notice your walker is not working correctly, let somebody know.
Correct posture and movement
Keep at your own pace. It’s better to be slow and steady!
Make sure you are wearing proper shoes to walk in.
For more information ask your health provider or check out Alberta Health website for tips.
Proper use – using walkers how they were designed and intended
If not used properly, walkers can become unstable and tip.
E.g. If moving with a walker, it should always be in front of you. It should not be moved while you are seated.
E.g. Use the basket to carry items not the handle bars
Be aware of your surroundings and watch for unstable surfaces
Do not leave your walker in busy areas such as dining rooms. Walkers can be tripping hazards for other residents and staff. Ask staff to help you move your walker to a safe place.
Watch out for trip hazards such as uneven surfaces, ice, and wet floors.
Follow the guidelines outlined by Alberta Health Services to stay safe! Check out more walker tips on their website here.
For more information on how to safely use mobility aids at Green Acres senior communities, see the recent additions to the Residency and Service Agreement below.
Residency and Service Agreement
Residents who use a powered wheelchair must show evidence they have the ability to use the wheelchair safely. The determination of competency shall be based on an assessment by management. Residents cannot use the power wheelchair at a speed which is dangerous to themselves and others. Management reserves the right to have the vendor adjust the speed levels appropriately, at the cost of the resident.
Residents must use their 4 wheeled walkers in a safe manner as outlined by Alberta Health Service protocols. Walkers are not designed to be moved while the user is seated as the walker is prone to tipping over forward if an obstacle is hit while moving. Residents are not to propel themselves while seated. Residents using their walker in an unsafe manner put the safety of themselves and others at risk. Improper use of walkers will not be tolerated. Use of walkers in the dining area is limited to assistance to and from the dining area and not for seating. Staff will move walkers away from the tables and will retrieve them once the meal service has concluded.
Residents who use a manually propelled wheelchair must use it in a safe manner. Residents are only to propel themselves forward in order to see obstacles which may cause a safety risk to themselves and others. The cost to repair any damage caused by a manually propelled wheelchair will be charged to the resident.
References
https://myhealth.alberta.ca/Health/Pages/conditions.aspx?hwid=custom.ab_physio_walker_inst
https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/11-627-m/11-627-m2020085-eng.htm
https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/en/pub/82-003-x/2003003/article/6848-eng.pdf?st=Qgex1k-d
https://academic.oup.com/ptj/article/98/7/571/4934630?login=false