Patient/caregiver was educated on fall precautions for Parkinson’s patients as follows:
- Wear comfortable clothes when using assistive devices. Loose and frizzy clothing on the lower body can get entangled with the legs of the assistive device, compromise balance, and lead to fall.
- Wear clothing with pockets to carry essential items, such as, telephone, personal alert systems. Make sure you leave these essential items on the nightstand located within an arm reach, which helps with easy access, if need be. They come in handy to call for help during emergencies and falls. Also, carrying the essential items in the pockets will leave the hands to hold the assistive device and other supportive structures firmly to avoid falls.
- Difficulty initiating movement and rigidity in the extremities of Parkinson’s patients can lead to compromised balance. Shoes with pointed heels can compromise the balance further in these patients and promote risk for falls & accidents. Observing compliance with wearing flats can promote safety & security in Parkinson’s patients.
- Rigidity and difficulty initiating movement in Parkinson’s patients can lead to poor balance and compromised safety. Rearranging shelves in the bedroom, closets, kitchen, and refrigerator with items that are used regularly put in the upper shelves, to help an easy reach. Avoid using the lower shelves, as it needs them to bend to access them. Also, avoid placing items so high that they need to stretch heavily to reach out to them. Severe stretching and bending can further compromise balance in Parkinson’s patients, leading to falls.
