If your elderly loved ones are hoping to age in place in their current home, there are multiple changes that you can make to improve the safety of their house. Some are simple and inexpensive, while others require a more extensive renovation.
Here are 10 ways to keep seniors safe at home to help you get started, from getting them adaptive clothing to turning down the temperature on the water heater.
Checkout 10 Prime Ways To Keep Seniors Safe At Home
1. Remove Obstructions From The Floor
Trip and fall hazards are a huge problem for older adults at home. You should declutter the house to ensure that every pathway and room is free of tripping hazards like misplaced objects.
You should also remove loose rugs or secure them to the floor so they cannot move around and trip people up. Your elderly loved ones should also wear non-skid slippers at all times, including inside the house, to reduce their chances of falls.
2. Upgrade The Bath Or Shower.
At a minimum, baths, and showers should have non-slip mats and grab bars securely installed. You should also consider getting a shower chair so your loved one can bathe while sitting, which is more secure than standing.
If your loved one doesn’t already have a walk-in shower, look into replacing the step-in tub with one; the renovations will be more expensive but they will also make the bathroom much safer.
3. Turn Down The Water Temperature.
Speaking of showering and bathing, home water heaters can get hot enough to scald skin if the hot water isn’t mixed with cold. To stop this from happening, set the max water temperature on the heater to at or below 120 degrees Fahrenheit, which will prevent a scald even if your loved one forgets to turn on the cold tap.
4. Make The Stairs Safer.
To make it safer for your loved one to go up and down the stairs, install non-slip runners as well as motion-sensitive stair lights that will illuminate them day and night.
If your loved one is unsteady on their feet, then you might need to get estimates for installing a stairlift to make it safer for them to go up and down. If that’s not feasible, see if you can relocate the most important rooms to the bottom floor so they don’t have to take the stairs as much.
5. Improve Lighting Throughout The House.
On the subject of lighting, you should check all the lights in the house and switch out the bulbs if any of them look too dim. That’s because clear illumination will help to prevent falls by showing your elderly loved ones exactly where to place their feet.
If you decide to put up some extra lamps to supplement the overhead lighting, be sure to locate them away from major pathways and keep the electrical cords out of the way.
6. Replace Door Knobs And Light Switches.
Round door knobs can be difficult for arthritic hands to operate, which is why we recommend replacing them with lever-style door knobs instead.
For the same reason, you might also want to consider replacing toggle-style light switches with rocker-style light switches, which are also easier for arthritic hands to operate. An electrician can do it for you if you’re not confident doing electrical work on your own.
7. Give Them Adaptive Clothing.
Getting dressed can be very difficult for seniors who have arthritis or another health condition that limits their mobility. Give them Alzheimer’s clothing that is specifically designed to help them maintain independence while accommodating their limitations — not to mention making the dressing process much easier on both them and their caretakers. Don’t forget adaptive accessories such as adult bibs and wheelchair blankets as well.
8. Reorganize The Kitchen.
Move commonly used items to lower cabinets so that seniors don’t have to get on a stool or bend all the way over to reach them. Get kitchen appliances that feature an auto shut-off feature so they can’t be left on by accident. Use timers with flashing lights to alert hard-of-hearing seniors that dinner is ready. Switch to colorful dishes that contrast with the color of the countertops to make them easier to see.
9. Protect Against Fire Hazards.
Double-check that smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors are installed throughout the house; test and replace the batteries at least once a year. Periodically check the home for fire hazards, such as frayed electrical cords, and get them fixed ASAP. Talk to your loved ones about how the safest thing to do in the event of a fire is to leave the house and call 911 immediately from a safe spot.
10. Consider An Emergency Alert System.
If your elderly loved one is at high risk for falls or has already fallen before, then it might make sense to invest in an emergency alert system. Your loved one can use this to call for help with a press of a button in the event of a fall or another medical emergency. You should also post a list of emergency phone numbers on the fridge or in another central place so that they can contact you quickly if necessary.
We’ve only scratched the surface in terms of ways to keep seniors safe at home. What other changes have you made to keep your elderly loved ones safe while you age in place? What tips on this list have you already implemented, and which ones are still on your list? Let us know in the comments below!
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