A neurosurgeon explains on TikTok how a simple inspection of the holiday home can prevent serious accidents on vacation.
A neurosurgeon from Georgia in the USA has TikTok video shared a simple method to prevent injuries while on vacation. In the video, which has already been viewed over 78,000 times, spine specialist Dr. Grunch recommends paying particular attention to the location of the stairs in the building when arriving at a vacation rental.
Fall injuries: an underestimated risk
As the “New York Times“, falls are the leading cause of preventable death in people over 65. “It seems like it’s a no-brainer and a little silly,” says Dr. Grunch, “but as an emergency neurosurgeon, I see so many preventable injuries from people falling down stairs.”
A 2018 study found that between 1990 and 2012, more than 24.7 million people were treated in emergency rooms in the United States for stair accidents – that’s about one million people per year. Children under the age of three, adults over 85 and young women in their 20s are particularly susceptible to such injuries, the New York Times continues.
Caution is especially advised for older people
Dr. Grunch explains that older people are at risk of falling down stairs, especially at night in the dark, when they need to go to the bathroom and are not familiar with a new environment. “They are a little disoriented and need to go to the bathroom,” and they can easily confuse a door to the stairs with the bathroom door, the doctor emphasizes. She stressed that falls are the leading cause of preventable deaths in adults over 65.
Therefore, in her TikTok video, the surgeon recommends, among other things, installing stair gates in holiday homes to prevent falls. “What you can do to prevent injuries to you or your loved ones is to look around the house and identify all the stairs, especially if you are taking older people with you,” she added.
TikTok users share their stories
TikTok users thanked her for her advice. “Happened to my mom, broken hip, leg and multiple surgeries. This happened to my brother who was home for the weekend,” one TikToker shared. Another reported: “My dad confused the bathroom with the basement and fell all the way down the stairs.”
Another user tells of similar experiences in her comment: “We arrived at our accommodation at midnight. My mother fell down two steps while looking for a light switch and broke her leg.” Another user even takes preventive measures due to the risk of falls: “As much as I love a dark place to sleep, I always turn on a light, especially at my mother’s. I take a dim light with me. That’s the nurse in me,” she commented under the video.