Patient/caregiver was educated on fall precautions for Parkinson’s patients as follows:
- Falls and accidents can be frequent in Parkinson’s patients due to the rigidity and difficulty initiating movements. Observe compliance with the general fall precautions and use of assistive devices, as recommended, for fall & accident prevention. Having a seat attached to the walker can help with resting during exacerbation of rigidity and fatigue.
- Many anti-parkinsonian medications carry the side-effect of inducing hallucinations in individuals. Altered sensory perception due to hallucinations can compromise safety and contribute to undue fall. Also, many other medications usually taken on a regular basis could carry the side-effect of inducing dizziness and confusion in individuals. This can compromise safety and contribute to undue falls. Individuals taking any medications and their caregivers must be well aware of their side-effects and seek timely assistance, as needed, for fall prevention.
- Clear all the cables and cords that can be on your path. They can entangle to the legs and contribute further to imbalance in Parkinson’s patients, leading to falls & accidents. Avoid having any electric cables, extension cords, laptop chargers, phone chargers on your path. During the night, leave your assistive device by your bedside for an easy reach. This can help pick them up on a restroom trip easily. Trying to reach out to an assistive device situated far from the bed could invite a risk for uneventful fall.
- Assistive devices like walkers might need extra space to turn around the corners inside the house. Maintain a clear pathway to allow a free access along with your assistive device, at least for areas that you regularly access in your house. Moving furniture around, out of the way, helps promote comfort and ease.
