Adopting a senior friendly design for living is the best way to ensure that an elderly adult can safely remain in the residence where they have lived for much of their life. That means finding ways to convert their house, condominium, or apartment into a senior friendly one.
Ask most senior citizens and they will tell you they would much rather prefer to live at home instead of being moved into an assisted living facility or nursing home. But this isn’t always the best choice as a senior could be facing a myriad of potential risks and threats that could jeopardize their health and safety, even their life all because the home is no longer safe for them to remain in.
Many injuries that might be sustained in the home can pose serious dangers as seniors age. So it’s absolutely imperative that you secure the home and against any risks that might arise from simply living inside of it. Two rooms in particular that need to be assessed are the bedroom and the bathroom. Research has determined that the highest percentage of mishaps and resulting injuries take place in these two parts of the house.
Stairs and floors that can have slick surfaces are also cause for concern and these areas also need to be addressed to help seniors avoid slip and fall accidents. You may also be surprised how simple rugs and furniture, once harmless components of a residence, can pose serious threats to the health and well-being of an elderly adult.
At Seniors Helping Seniors we understand the importance of aging at home but we also recognize that living this way can become tougher each year. If living at home is posing potential current or future issues for a senior’s health, here are some tips to help make that home a much safer and more secure place to age with grace and self-confidence.
Improved Lighting
One of the leading causes of falls and accidents is poor visibility. Many seniors are already dealing with vision issues that can make it harder for them to see where they are going. One unsure or unsteady step can lead to certain disaster and when an elderly adult is having trouble seeing, good lighting is essential for minimizing the risks that come with poor vision.
So take a good long look around the home to determine whether or not the lighting is adequate enough in the areas where it is needed the most. That means checking the lighting near any and all stairwells, hallways, and the rooms of the home used most. It may be as simple as changing the light bulbs to a brighter wattage or changing out those burned bulbs once and for all.
Eliminating Trip and Fall Incidents
The lighting in the home plays an important role in helping seniors avoid falling down. But there are many other factors throughout that can also contribute to the potential dangers in the home and auditing the most likely places where a senior can trip will be very helpful to keep them from doing so.
Start with the walkways, hallways, and rooms where rugs and/or carpeting cover the floor. An edge that is sticking up or an area rug that hasn’t been secured can be potentially hazardous for an elderly adult.
Consider loose wires from lights and electronics or extension cords that are left out inside and outside the home. These are very easy to trip over and such a thing can be easily avoided by rethinking the cord and opting instead to choose wireless options of these items or, at the very least, conceal them in ways that will prevent seniors from getting a foot caught and plunging down to the floor.
Do the same thing with furniture. Chairs and sofas that once were free from obstruction in a home can soon become objects that are tougher to navigate now that your senior is getting older.
Working Alarms
Safeguarding your senior against tragic consequences from a fire or a CO2 leak are both very important for ensuring that the home is safe for an elderly individual. Smoke detectors are essential in any home but for seniors these devices are even more critical to their safety. The dangers of fire and smoke are much higher when these alarm systems are not operational.
Be sure to check that all alarms have fresh batteries installed and test these units every month or two, at the very least, to ensure they are working at all times.
