If you are currently living with a loved one who is getting on in age, it is highly important that you customize and modify your home such that it will become a living environment that is capable of catering to your aging loved one’s personal needs.
You may not always be there to help them out with all of their activities of daily living, so it would be greatly beneficial for you to take certain measures and to put in place certain features that will get the job done during the times when you are not around.
We at Discovery Village At The West End would be more than happy to help you out in this process, so allow us to tell you all about what you can do to create a more elder-friendly home.
Eliminate Factors That May Cause Falls
Falls are one of the most common causes of injury for senior adults. In order to lower the risk of falls and to promote general home safety for your loved one, one of the most essential things that must be done is making sure that your home is fall-safe. This may be achieved by doing the following things:
- Eliminate accumulated clutter. This would include shoes, loose items of clothing, and old newspapers.
- Throw out or donate old pieces of furniture.
- Make an environment that is more spacious and open.
- Do not allow extension cords to be stretched across the floor, to prevent tripping.
- Ensure that your loved one always wears footwear that has non-slip technology when inside.
Take Precautions against Fires
Home safety measures for your loved one would include removing potential fire hazards in the home. Here are some of the things that you may do:
- Install a fire extinguisher.
- Regularly change the batteries of carbon monoxide and smoke detectors.
- Do not allow candles to be brought into or stored in the home. If candles are left ignited and unattended, they may start a serious fire.
- Keep the exit points of the home uncluttered so that your loved one may escape with ease in the event of a fire.
- Keep flammable objects or substances out of reach.
Make Sure the Bathroom Is Safe
It is common knowledge that the bathroom is one of the most dangerous rooms for a senior adult. Accidents like falls most frequently occur in the bathroom. To make sure that your loved one is adequately protected from these accidents, pay close attention to the following:
- Have grab bars installed in the bath or the shower area and adjacent to the toilet.
- Place rubber mats with non-slip technology on the floor of the bathtub to prevent slipping accidents.
- Replace the original bathtub with the walk-in version.
- Install storage cabinets and shower caddies so that clutter is brought to a minimum.
- Install weighted shower curtains so that bathwater does not spill out of the bathtub and onto the bathroom floor.
We hope these tips will help you create a safe space for your parents or loved ones at home. Now that you’ve been informed, it’s time to turn these tips into your to-do list!
