Decluttering the home reduces chances of falls by more than a quarter

Bad news for hoarders! Decluttering the home reduces the chances of falls by more than a quarter, review finds

• Eliminating hazards around home can reduce the risk of falls for older people
• But other measures like prescription glasses or special footwear had little effect
• READ MORE: Experts reveal how lockdown made hoarding disorders WORSE

It’s bad news for hoarders and vindication for those who think everything should have its place.

Decluttering the home can reduce the chances of falls by more than a quarter, a major review has found.

Eliminating hazards around the home, such as clutter, stairs without railings and poor lighting, can reduce the risk of falls for older people.

But other measures such as prescription glasses or special footwear had little effect, according to a Cochrane review.

Nearly one third of people aged 65 years and older fall each year, with most occurring in the home.

Eliminating hazards around the home, such as clutter, stairs without railings and poor lighting, can reduce the risk of falls for older people (file image)

Researchers at the University of Sydney analysed the results of 22 studies including data on 8,463 older people living in the community.

They found that taking measures to reduce fall hazards around the home lowers the overall rate of falls by 26 per cent.

These measures have the biggest effect (38 per cent fewer falls) for people who are at a higher risk.,such as anyone who has recently had a fall and been hospitalised or who needs support with daily activities such as dressing or using stairs.

Based on their analyses, the reviewers found that if 1,000 people who had previously had a fall followed these measures for about a year, the total number of falls would come down from 1,847 to 1,145.

Professor Lindy Clemson, of the University of Sydney, Australia and lead author of the review said: ‘Falls are very common among older people. They can cause serious injury or even death, but they are preventable.

‘The research shows that, for those at risk of falls, being aware of fall hazards in and around the home, removing hazards and adapting with safe behaviours can significantly reduce the risk of falling.

‘We encourage all people, as they age, to reduce fall hazards. These are often simple things like removing or changing slippery floor mats, improving lighting on stairs or de-cluttering the home. It seems this is not always ‘common sense’.’

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