Making Your Home Elder Safe
The holidays are a festive time of the year; families will be gathering from near and far, coming together in a joyous celebration. The last thing any of us would want is to have this happy time marred by a serious injury or accident involving one of our family members. Each year thousands of elderly Americans are injured in home accidents. However, there are some simple steps that you can take in your home to reduce the risk of injury to your elderly loved ones who may be visiting for the holidays. The process starts by checking each room of your home for potential hazards and then making changes to mitigate the risk.*
Floors
As you walk through each room of your house, do you notice any furniture that is blocking access? If so make sure the furniture is moved to allow a clear path through the room. You should also remove any area rugs or apply a non-slip backing to them to make sure that they won’t slide. All papers, boxes, shoes, or other items should be picked up from the floor and stowed safely away. Make sure any cords or wires are moved and taped to the baseboard if necessary consider having an extra electrical outlet installed.
Stairs and Steps
Any objects left on the stairs (boxes, dog toys, shoes, etc.) should be picked up and taken to a safe location. Stairways should be checked for any loose or uneven risers or other structural damage. If defects are found, they should be repaired promptly. You might want to consider having an electrician install an overhead light for the stairs if you don’t already have one and if you do have one make sure the light bulb has been replaced. Loose carpet and handrails should be repaired or replaced, consider having non-slip rubber treads installed on stairways and entry steps.
Kitchens and Bathrooms
Move the items in your cabinets to make them more readily accessible. Things you use often should be kept at about waist level. If you have to use a step stool in the kitchen make sure it has a bar your loved one can hold onto, never use a chair as a step stool! Place a non-slip rubber mat or self-stick strips on the floor of your tub or shower, if your loved one needs some extra support you might also want to add a grab bar inside the tub and next to the toilet to help them getting in and out.
Bedrooms
Place a lamp close to the bed where it is in easy reach. Put in a night-light so your relative can see where they are going in the dark, some night-lights have a sensor that allows them to come on automatically after dark.
Other Safety Tips
Keep emergency numbers close by the phone, and in large print, this is of particular importance if your loved one is going to be left alone for any length of time. Also, make sure the lighting is even in each room of your house and consider using light weight curtains in order to reduce glare. You may also want to consider painting your stairs in contrasting colors so that they will be easier to see, for example, use light color paint on dark wood.
Finally, be sure to remember your loved one’s caregiver during this holiday season. Remember they are giving up time with their own family in order to take care of your family member. Treat them as if they are part of you family and make sure they are included in holiday events and family activities. The concern and compassion you show for your family caregiver will be repaid a hundred times over!
*For additional information: https://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/activepeoplehealthynation/everyone-can-be-involved/parks-recreation-and-green-spaces.html.