There have been some troubling stories in the news lately that point up the need to keep in touch with friends, family and neighbors and for them to keep in frequent contact with seniors.

First there was the story of the woman in Florida whose property was damaged by a hurricane and she was unable to afford the repairs that would allow her to have electric service in her home. The amazing thing is that the hurricane that caused the damage was Andrew and this elderly woman lived without full electricity for 15 years. Neighbors never noticed that she had only one dim lamp, nor was anyone aware she had no heat and could not use her stove.

There was the story of 70 year old Vincenzo Ricardo, the Long Island man who died in his chair, watching TV and was not found for over a year. Neighbors assumed he was in the hospital and never thought to check on him.

More recently comes a story about a man who fell in his house and lay on the floor for perhaps as long as two weeks before he was found. Shaun McKenney, 69, who suffered frostbite and hypothermia, lived in a house with no running water and no sanitary facilities.

In each of these cases, a little involvement could have gone a long way. Know your neighbors, take time to meet them. Notice when someone doesn’t put out any trash on trash day or if you don’t see someone for several days. Don’t assume they are away – call or visit. And it is just as important that you regularly discuss your plans with others, so that if they don’t see you performing your normal routines that they take notice and do not assume you are away.

It used to be that you knew all your neighbors and they knew you. Nowadays people live more isolated lives and tragedies like the ones cited above are more common. It’s time to create a spirit of community in neighborhoods and apartment complexes and go back to being good neighbors.

Falls are responsible for more deaths than heart attack and stroke in people age 65 and over. 95% of hip fractures are caused by falls and more than half, 55% of all falls, occur in the home. Falls can lead to serious injury and those who fall 2-3 times are more likely to fall again.

The National Safety Council recommends that you modify your home environment to reduce the common risks that cause trips and falls. Here are some tips:

* Use contrasting colors on floors and walls, lighter colors on floors is recommended.

* Keep walking surfaces level as much as possible. Use skid resistant surfaces on floors, rough tiles or carpets with short, dense pile. Avoid shag carpets and changes in walking surfaces from room to room.

* Keep it well lit. As we age we need brighter light than we did when we were in our twenties.

* Mount light fixtures on the wall within reach and use fixtures that have two bulbs. Make sure light switches are at the entrance to rooms.

* Watch out for extension and phone cords. Keep them short and out of the way. Do not run them under carpet as it could be a fire hazard.

* Install handrails and grab bars in the bathroom to minimize falls in the tub and when rising from the toilet.

* Handrails on stairs should extend beyond the last step at both the top and bottom of the stairs. Remove padded carpet treads from stairs. If possible, use a strip of bright color at the edge of each step.

Other Resources:

WebMD – Preventing Harm in Your Own House

NSC.org – Designs on Building Safe Homes for the Elderly