It is critical for families and elders to include home safety recommendations, as well as follow a home safety checklist to avoid accidents, decrease fall risks, and guarantee independence when aging at home. These steps, when paired with home care services, can help elders age in their homes peacefully.
If you don’t know where to begin when it comes to elderly fall prevention and other issues, we’ll help you jump right to it. Here are your essential home safety guidelines for the aging elderly:
- Remove any potential tripping risks. Tripping risks include area rugs, electrical wires, low tables, and ottomans. Keep toys picked up if you have a pet or a youngster in the house. Cover all cords and wires with nonslip carpeting.
- Install grab bars in the bathroom. Not many people are aware of this, but the majority of in-home falls occur in the bathroom. Grab bars are helpful to anyone of all ages and are widely available at hardware stores. To install, you may need the help of skilled do-it-yourselfers, plumbers, or home safety professionals.
- Make seating accessible. Add accessible seating, such as a bench near the front entrance for putting on shoes, to make the home elder-friendly. You can also consider investing in low seating in other areas. Kitchen and shower stools, for instance, make it simpler for elders to do daily tasks like cooking and bathing on their own.
- Examine the thresholds. Raised flooring between rooms might be a tripping hazard, so ensure that you make thresholds easier to cross. Inquire with a safety professional about flattening thresholds or installing interior ramps or railings.
- Mind the outside areas. Regularly inspect the driveway for cracks and make sure there is a clear route to the mailbox. Clear the yard of any tripping hazards such as pebbles and roots.
Elderly-Proof Your Home
The aging elderly don’t necessarily have a luxurious home to stay in, but they require proper home care and access to a safe house. To achieve this, you must constantly help them maintain their space and conduct home safety assessments. You can do this on your own by checking the smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, fire extinguishers, secured racks and handles, burnt-out light bulbs, rotten trash or decaying rodents, and of course, safety locks.
To add to your list of safety guidelines, you may also seek an expert’s advice. Take an initial inspection as an essential first step on any home safety checklist since an expert may detect dangerous issues that a family member cannot. For example, experts know how to assess and identify “red zones” for you, tag existing hazards, and give you information for any other appropriate additions.
Conclusion
Whether this is for a friend or a loved one, it’s vital to understand that giving an aging senior a safe home is not only about injury prevention. It’s about giving you and your family the quality home life you all deserve. By keeping everyone safe, you also make sure that everything is accessible and user-friendly, away from costly home repairs and maintenance. With a secure home, you’ll make growing older a breeze for your loved one and yourself in the future.
Are you looking for a home care agency in Denver or Colorado Springs? Gateway Home Health is committed to providing the highest quality home-based patient care with high regard for human dignity. Our highly trained clinicians and therapists help make the aging process easier for you and your loved one—reach out to us today.