While caregiving facilities for seniors are typically the best and the safest place for them, it is normal for them to not wanting to leave their house. Sometimes it is utterly painful and impossible for the elderly to leave their home and settle down in a senior home. If you are fulfilling the responsibility of taking care of your elderly parents or guardians, then this article would help you through this process.
In addition to ensuring that all the emotional and physical needs of the elderly loved ones are fulfilled, every caregiver must make sure they remain safe. Of course, there are countless times when the caregiver has to leave the elderly at home while no other family member available. These are the times when you need safety gadgets for your elderly loved ones the most. Keeping them safe is the priority as they are prone to incidents when left on their own. So, getting the items from this list will give you the peace of mind you deserve.
Some Tips for Keeping Elderly Safe at Home
1. Minimize the Fall Hazards
Elderly are more prone to falling and falling is one of the most serious causes of injuries among seniors. Therefore, it is important to minimize the risks of falling by making your home safe for them. Remember how our parents had baby-proofed the house for us? It is the same, but this time, it is them we have to take care of. The following points will help minimize fall hazards.
- Remove throw rugs if any. It is better to compromise a little on the decorative aspect and to get anti-slip mats around the area where the seniors reside.
- Leave no clutter around. This includes newspapers, loose clothing, extra shoes, baby toys, etc.
- Try clearing the path to and from their bedroom to the living area so that they can easily walk by themselves or use cane/wheelchair to move around.
- Avoid using or leaving extension cords around the common areas the elderlies at your home are bound to use.
2. Emergency Numbers
All the caregivers need to share and pin a list of emergency numbers with the elders. The list should be pinned at the most obvious places in your home so that it is easily accessible for anyone taking turns to look after the older adults. If your elderly loved ones can use phones, then you can try and paste the numbers at the back of their phone so that they can find them easily.
The list should typically include the numbers of the following:
- 911
- Emergency family contacts
- Local caregiving services
- Healthcare provider’s office number
3. Protect from Fire Hazards
- Check the batteries in the fire detector
- Seal any loose electric cords or switches properly
- Do not use candles or keep them out in the open
- Control the heating yourself
4. Safer Bathrooms
- The best practice is to get grab handles installed in the senior people’s bathroom.
- You may check out our Guide to Selecting Grab Bars for Showers and Bathrooms for more options.
- Set the temperature of the water to moderate and keep an eye on it.
- Use anti-slip rubber mats in the bathroom and shower area to minimize the risk of slipping.
- You can also install a specialized bathing chair so that they do not have to bathe while standing or lying in the tub that posits risks of slipping or drowning.
- Keep the chemicals out of reach.
- Install a motion sensor night light near the bathroom light switch so that they do not have to fiddle around in the dark to turn on the lights.
5. Safer Bedrooms and Kitchen
- Install an alarm for the burning stovetop to prevent any potential fire.
- Remove the cleaning chemicals from the reach.
- Install handles and bed rail in the bedroom.
- Using a telescopic grab bar that extends from the ceiling to the floor is also helpful for getting out of bed and reaching out for the wheelchair or any other helping tool.
- Install bed rails to prevent them from falling while they sleep. If you need help in choosing, read our Guide to Selecting Bed Rails for the best tips and products.
In a Nutshell
In the old age, people become more prone to accidents as they cannot move freely and independently and cannot easily maneuver their way around. If you have an elderly family member at home, you would know how worrisome caregiving gets when you leave the house or leave them in the bedroom for even an instant. There are tons of gadgets that can help make this task much easier. The tools we mentioned above are there to help and assist you in minimizing the risks of injuries.
You may also check out our Guide to Buying Shower Stools and Chairs for more safety tips and recommendations.