Padded hats: Do you know of any hats that might help protect a person from injuring their head?

It is very important to protect your head in the event of a fall. With that being said, it is understandable that your grandmother does not like the idea of wearing a clunky helmet around the house or in public. Thankfully there are a number of more understated protective hats and headgear available on the market. Below are direct links to some examples of such products, which range in price from about $80 to $200 (CDN):

• The Trucker Cap by Ice Halo(at icehalo.ca) is a protective cap that is also designed to be comfortable and stylish. This product, which is tested using the Hockey Helmet Standard, comes in three different colours (pink, black and blue) and costs about $80 (CDN), plus an additional $15 (CDN) shipping fee.
• The Crashce Hat (at crasche.com) has protective inserts that are designed to protect your head against impact. This hat, which looks like your average tuque, has an inner layer of neoprene rubber and large air chambers that help cushion against impact. This product costs about $40 (USD), plus a shipping fee. 
• Ribcap Protective Baseball Cap (at rehabmart.com) looks like any other baseball hat, but has special padding sewn into the hat to protect the head from impact. This hat, which comes in three colours and two sizes (small, medium and large/X-large), is available for purchase from a U.S. retailer for about $150 to $220 (USD).

There are a number of other factors that can reduce your grandmother’s risk of falling. She can complete a BC Government falls risk questionnaire to determine her risk of falling as well as actions she can take to prevent falls and remain independent.