Safety-Proofing a Senior's Home: What You Can Do
Aging adults or seniors that live alone need some additions made to their home to make their homes safer for them. If the adult is living alone and falls while in the shower, walking down the stairs, or out to the mailbox, it could be a big problem that could result in a health issue or worse. To help prevent a fall or other problem, it's imperative to safety-proof the senior's home. Read on for things you can do to help safety-proof the home.
Add Railings
If the senior's home has stairs with only one railing, you should add a second one to help prevent a fall. A railing on either side gives the person something to hold onto. With just one railing, the person may try to hold on to the one railing with both hands, which can cause them to walk up or down the stairs awkwardly. A fall on the stairs can leave the person with a broken hip or worse. Add a second railing on the other side to prevent this. Also be sure there are railings on any outside stairways as well, even if it's just one step, a railing can come in handy for an elderly person.
Add Protection in the Bathroom
Protect the person from falls in the bathroom by adding non-skid pads to the shower or tub floor. Slip and falls can occur in the bathroom to anyone, although a senior may have a much harder time with this type of fall. Also adding a handrail in the shower/bathtub stall can help prevent a fall as well. It can also help the person get into and out of the shower. Give the toilet seat a boost and make it easier for the person to get up from the toilet by adding either a taller seat or a chair seat to the toilet.
Invest in an Alert System
An alert system can be beneficial to someone that lives alone, as the person can just hit a button and help will arrive at the house. Some of these alert systems can be worn around the neck so the button is always nearby. There are a number of different types out there, so get one that works best for the senior.
Hire In-Home Healthcare
Hiring an in-home healthcare service can be very beneficial to a senior and to family members. An in-home healthcare aid can be there for the senior when you aren't able to and can offer medical assistance that you may not be qualified to give. This is the best option for a senior that isn't ready for a nursing home just yet and still wants to live in their home but still needs some assistance.
If you have a senior in your life that is aging and having some issues with being alone, be sure to safety-proof the home to prevent falls and hire an in-home healthcare service to help give aid to the senior.
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