There are several ways to make your senior parent safe in their own home. Because most accidents happen in the home it may be some time before the senior can get help if they need it. Most accidents in the home is a fall. It may be in the bathtub, on steps or stairs, doing normal household chores, or going outside to rake leaves, shovel snow, checking their mail, or more. Accidents can happen quickly and if you are taking care of your senior parent you will want to feel good about leaving them at home where they want to be. One fall can put them in a eldercare facility without planning for it. Most seniors wish to stay home as long as they possibly can. Here are a few safety features that you can take care of to help them meet their goal.
Cords are easy to trip on and it is important to make sure that all cords are hidden and unable to trip anyone who walks across the floor. Most people will hide their cords under throw rugs and mats but eventually they may pull away from the electrical sockets. If they don’t fall out completely this may be dangerous to those who are there in the home. Always check the cords frequently and re-route any cords that seem to come out of the electrical socket easily. If furniture sits on cords it may become a hazard as the wear causes the cords to become frail. No cord should run under furniture, carpet, or exposed in the middle of the floor.
Replace all light bulbs that are no longer working. Make sure that there is enough lighting in every room. There should never be any dark areas in the home so they can always see their steps.
Heating is another dangerous hazard in the home. Without proper heating, homeowners may decide to supplement their main heat source with space heaters, Kerosene heaters, or wood stoves. This can be dangerous if they are not properly taken care of. Try using portable electrical radiator heaters that can be turned on and left for a long period of time without danger. Placing one in each room can make the home nice and warm and provide an even heat.
Check all smoke detectors in the home. If there are no smoke detectors make sure you install at least one on each level of the home. You can also purchase carbon monoxide detectors to alarm if any dangerous gases are in the home, allowing your parent to get help and escape in time. Always make sure that there is a smoke detector near the bedroom so it can warn anyone in the house who may be sleeping. Check the batteries in the smoke detector once every three months. Never leave a smoke detector in non working order.
Place a phone in every room of the house or make sure that a portable phone is carried around at all times. This will help in getting assistance if an accident does occur.
