Those cute area rugs or Kitty’s catnip toys could pose hazards for people getting around their houses, emergency medical officials say.

The Muskogee County Emergency Medical Service seeks to help older Muskogee residents avoid such hazards.

Mike McWilliams, special projects coordinator for Muskogee County EMS, has set up a Safety Checklist for seniors to help them make their houses safer. He said the program will officially start in January.

The Centers for Disease Control and prevention says more than one third of adults 65 and older fall each year in the United States. The Center cites falls as the leading cause of injury-related deaths and the most common cause of nonfatal injuries and hospital trauma admissions.

McWilliams recalled one emergency run that shows the importance of fall prevention.

“I’ve been on one call, a neighbor came by (a resident’s house) on a Monday and the resident hadn’t heard from someone in two days. The resident fell on a Saturday, and couldn’t reach the phone and didn’t have a Life Alert system,” he said. “The resident did not have anything to eat. She was dehydrated. It was just from tripping.”

He said the EMS makes several runs like that.

“Falls are a big part of the calls we go on,” he said, adding that the EMS made 967 fall-related runs this year. “When you look through the statistics, you find that 67 percent of the older people who fall will fall again in the next six months.”

Under the program, someone from the EMS will visit a home at the resident’s request and survey things that could help make the home safer.

Questions include:

• Is the entrance well lit?

• Are floors free of clutter, shoes, books and pet toys?

• Are floors free of throw rugs and loose carpeting?

• Are cords in good condition?

• Are there grab bars near the toilet?

• Are lamps or light switches near the bed?

A key to preventing falls in the home is to pick up clutter, McWilliams said. “These include pet toys, thick area rugs,” he said. “There are a lot of simple things that can be done, such as hand rails in the bathroom.”

“The program will become official Jan. 1,” he said. “We just put it together.”

He said EMS can do surveys “on a limited basis” before January.



Reach Cathy Spaulding at 918-684-2928 or Click Here to Send Email