For seniors who want to feel safe in their homes, there are some things that require attention from the slippery floors to the leaking faucets and dangerous stairs.
Keep your seniors safe and healthy by taking care of their homes and making the necessary adjustments and improvements that will ease their lives.
Proper lighting
The last thing a senior wants is to fall, and this is likely to happen given that they lose their visibility with age, so a proper lighting in their house is vital for their safety.
Replace the light bulbs with halogen one that use less electricity and make sure there is always a light up in the house and outside it, too.
Sensor lighting systems are also a great safety tip for seniors because it will keep them from wandering along the walls to find the light switch.
Safe from fires and floods
Fires and water floods are extremely common in seniors’ homes because they tend to forget they left the gas or the water running.
In this case, a smoke and gas detector will come in handy to avoid further incidents, as well as a faucet sensor that will turn off he water after a few minutes, in case they left it running unintentionally.
Safe floors
Seniors can easily slip on the floor if it is too shiny or it has been waxed, so avoid cleaning products that leave a slippery foil on the floors.
Also, remove all the damaged tiles and the torn carpets and rugs and provide the seniors with proper anti-adherent footwear. You can even attach a nonskid backing on the back of the rugs for extra adherence.
In the bathroom, there is an enhanced risk of slipping due to the excessive moisture, so rubber rugs are required, as well as rails that help seniors to use the tub and the toilet.
Safe stair climbing
The stairs are another part of the house where a senior can fall, so a great way of reducing the risk of accidents is to invest in the best stair lift.
If the seniors use a stair lift, they can easily go up and down the stairs without making any effort and feeling any pain and in complete safety during the ride.
The best stair lift models come with call stations or remote controls so that they can be used by more than one person.
Safe doors
To avoid the seniors from getting locked inside their homes, make sure the doorknobs and handles are easy to operate and that they can be opened from both sides of the room.
Also, there should be an emergency phone in most of the rooms of the house in case the seniors get locked inside or they start to feel sick. As far as the front door goes, help your seniors feel safe at home with a smart door lock.
A smart lock will automatically lock the door when people leave home, and it automatically unlocks it when the want to come inside, thanks to the virtual key locks.
Moreover, you can make virtual keys for all the people that need to come in that house, such as yourself, other family members, a nurse or a maid.
Safety in the kitchen
In the kitchen, the cabinets should be at a proper height to avoid bending and climbing chairs in order to reach something.
Also, the countertop should be wide and high enough to avoid carrying and lifting, the working space is not shiny and slippery, there are mittens for grabbing hot lids and pots, the oven and stove controls are clearly marked, the drawers are kept closed and are cleared of unnecessary objects and the appliances are unplugged if they are not used.
This way, you will minimize the risk of kitchen accidents like cutting yourself, getting burned or fall because of slippery surfaces.
