As in-home care for seniors become more and more popular, it’s important to understand the possible dangers to an elderly living at home.
Prevent accidents by making these changes.
1. Make sure there’s a fire extinguisher and a working smoke detector on every floor.
2. Encourage seniors to never smoke in the house when they’re alone, especially if they’re in bed.
3. Advice them to move slowly when getting up or sitting down, making sure to keep their balance.
4. If a walking aid is needed, it should be properly measured for the senior’s height.
5. Proper shoes should always be worn in the house. Shoes that fit correctly and that have low heels are recommended.
6. If scatter rugs are in the house, they should be tacked down. However, the safest thing to do would be to remove the rugs altogether.
7. There shouldn’t be any electrical cords in the home’s traffic areas.
8. Sturdy rails should accompany all staircases, both inside and outside. Sometimes, a chairlift is necessary.
9. Replace light bulbs with non-glare bulbs of 100 watts or greater.
10. Have bath aids, like railings, installed on the bathtub walls and near the toilet.
11. Tubs and shower stalls should be skid-proofed. Bathmats should have non-slip bottoms. Seniors should be encouraged to bathe only when help is nearby, in case of an accident.
12. Make sure hot and cold faucets are clearly marked, which will help seniors who tend to get confused. It’s also helpful to mark the on and off positions of electronics and appliances.
12. Be sure all door locks can be opened from both sides of the door.
13. Tea kettles should have an automatic shut off feature.
14. Heavy objects shouldn’t be stored higher than waist level.
15. Hazardous items should never be kept near food.
16. Regularly check the expiration date on food and get rid of anything that’s expired. Also, get rid of any medicines, both over-the-counter and prescriptions, that are old or have gone unused.
17. All medicines and their directions should be labeled clearly. Seniors or their caregivers should always check with a doctor before mixing medicines.
If you already have an alarm system setup in the house, consider using a monitoring service like Alarm Relay.
I hope these Home Safety Tips for Senior Citizens will come in handy.
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