A very accurate prediction I must say as health and wellness continues to evolve.

Safety in our homes is an extremely important issue since preventable injuries and deaths continue to rise in homes and communities. To make a significant impact, we need to be aware of the hazards around us and change our behaviour. One little change at a time could lead to great results.

It is frightening to learn that in some countries, up to 70% of all unintentional-injury deaths occur in the home or community. In plain language you are more likely to be injured at home than anywhere else. Each year thousands of people are off work for more than a week as a result of a fall at home, and this has a big effect on businesses and organizations.

The leading causes of unintentional injury in the home and community include:

1. Poisoning
2. Falls
3. Choking
4. Drowning
5. Fires/flames

WATCH THESE AREAS

• Kitchen and cooking areas
  • A no-go area for children. Everyone working in the accident and emergency department of a hospital will tell you that on Saturdays and Sunday afternoons when most people do their weekly cooking, many children suffer from severe burns.
  • Appropriate way of using the burners on a stove. Avoid handles of cooking pots facing your work area. The gas cylinder should be in a very well-ventilated area outdoors
  • Care of spills. Clean them as soon as they occur to avoid slips.
• Electrical Appliances
  • All appliances switched off after use and plug removed from socket
  • Avoid touching of an electrical appliance with wet hands
  • Electrical cords should be out of the way to avoid tripping people.
• Bathroom
  • Children should never be left alone in a bathroom
  • The use of mats in a bath especially for children and the elderly
  • The elderly (above 65years but could be younger depending on the health status) should use showers with support bars and stools instead of bathtubs.
• Other areas
  • Avoid making a mess since they can cause one to trip sometimes with grave consequences. Children should be taught to pick up their toys after use.
  • Adults should avoid drinking from bottles since children copy this habit and may harm themselves in the process. In our setting many children tend to drink kerosene stored in “soft” drink bottles. We then worsen the condition by forcing them to drink palm oil and inducing vomiting and often getting this concoction into their lungs. Who really “instituted” this criminal sentence?
  • All medications, chemicals, small substances etc should be kept out of the reach of children

OTHER GENERAL STEPS TO AVOIDING HAZARDS

1. Look around for anything that may cause an accident. Make use of the different senses, sight, smell, hearing, touch. May not be a smart idea to try taste.
2. Decide who is most at risk. This helps you to make appropriate changes
3. Take preventive measures. After reading this piece make the changes necessary. Do not wait to “learn from experience” it may not always be wise to learn from the best teacher.
4. Keep a record of what you have changed
5. Continually check your living space – please do not think that making a one–time attempt is all that you need. Do this every day or every week.

COMMON CAUSES OF ACCIDENTS IN THE HOME

1. Poorly organized and cluttered walkway
2. Inadequate or unsuitable lighting
3. Moving or handling a load incorrectly – remember that waist or back pain?
4. Rushing around with careless abandon. Most of the time we end up losing time.
5. Tiredness. We commit errors when tired. Do not try to cheat nature, get some rest.
6. Lack of balance or appropriate mobility
7. Poor eyesight and/or inappropriate corrective lenses
8. Medication that may lead to dizziness. The elderly for instance who are on several medication have an increased risk of falling.

ECONOMIC COSTS OF ACCIDENTS AT HOME

The cost of home accidents is high in terms of the number of lives lost and resulting permanent disabilities. Several working days are lost, which translates into lost productivity. Huge sums of money may be lost seeking medical care and the quality of life is also poor.

The benefits of prevention of injuries at home are clear and quantifiable in terms of health and economic costs:

• Potential to save lives
• Improved quality of life
• Reduction in cost of hospital care
• Improved productivity through people’s contribution to the economy.

With all these benefits that we can chalk from keeping our home safe, one wonders why very little is heard about bringing safety home. Hopefully this will be the beginning of a nationwide drive.

Let us all pledge to “reduce the number of accidental deaths and injuries in our homes.” A home should be a place where we are absolutely SAFE.

AS ALWAYS LAUGH OFTEN, ENSURE HYGIENE, WALK AND PRAY EVERYDAY AND REMEMBER IT’S A PRICELESS GIFT TO KNOW YOUR NUMBERS (blood sugar, blood pressure, blood cholesterol, BMI)

Dr. Kojo Cobba Essel

Health Essentials Ltd (HE&W Group)

(dressel@healthessentialsgh.com)

*Dr. Essel is a Medical Doctor with a keen interest in Lifestyle Medicine, He holds an MBA and is an ISSA Specialist in Exercise Therapy, Fitness Nutrition and Corrective Exercise. He is the author of the award-winning book, ‘Unravelling The Essentials of Health & Wealth.’

Thought for the week – “Whatever you practice GROWS STRONGER! What are you practicing?”

References:

1. www.nsc.org (national safety council)
2. www.homesafety.co.nz
3. www.injuryobservatory.net
4. www.webmd.com