127,000 injured due to falls at home

Falls are by far the most common type of accident in Switzerland. Every eighth non-occupational accident is due to a fall at home. As a result, 127,000 people are injured every year. Some of these falls cause serious injuries, and recovery is often lengthy. The victims lose at least part of their independence and employees are absent from work. The bottom line is that such accidents cost companies a lot of money.

Recognize dangers - reduce risks

Many falls can be avoided, especially at home. Tripping hazards, poor lighting, missing handrails on stairs and slippery floors and bathtubs - dangers that increase the risk of falling can lurk anywhere. These need to be consistently mitigated. But to do this, they need to be recognized.

Together with the professional associations Physioswiss, Rheumaliga Schweiz, Spitex Schweiz, Pro Senectute and the Swiss Occupational Therapy Association, the BFU has therefore developed a Online checklist developed. It can be used to check apartments and detached houses with all their rooms, stairs and entrances. The checklist takes you from room to room, uses specific questions to identify potential hazards and makes direct recommendations. For example, it points out the need to install anti-slip strips in the shower or anti-slip protection under the carpet in the entrance area.

Developed for professionals, helpful for everyone

The online checklist was developed for healthcare professionals and Spitex employees. Thanks to its intuitive operation, anyone with a laptop or smartphone can check living spaces for potential fall hazards. Specialists help to implement recommendations and measures correctly. The tool also enables professionals to check the apartments and homes of older people much more easily than with the previous, analog means. To reduce the risk of falls even more efficiently.

Source: bfu