Elderly Help and 5 Senior Safety Tips
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Elderly Help and senior safety is a subject that I think about quite a bit since I help to care for my aging parents and handicapped sister. Taking a quick safety check of your loved ones home and then correcting any saftey hazards could not only prevent a fall, but may also help your loved one to remain independend for as long as possible.
While visiting my parents recently, I saw two very important steps we took long before they needed them to help them remain safely in their home. One was to change a bedroom into a laundry room. This prevented them from those trips up and down the basement stairs. The second important step we took was to add a walk in shower with safety bars that they could easily maneuver.
The Division of Aging and Seniors, Public Health Agency of Canada, offers a wonderful online Safe Living Guide.. The Guide takes a look at Keeping your home safe, Keeping yourself healthy and active, Keeping track of your medicine, Keeping safe with safety aids and Keeping safe through adapting your hom. In addition to a number of tips, they also offer some great checklists for all these elderly help topics. You can download the guide here.
Another danger that seniors face is fire. Cooking, smoking, storage of combustibles, electrical and heating all pose a danger. It is vital that there is a working fire alarm installed and a plan for escape if one is needed. We have electrically wired alarms that are connected to my parents area of the home. This way we are all alerted to a fire emergency.
Here are five of my favorite Senior Saftey Tips:
1. Look at their environment from their abilities and arrange accordingly, removing all obstacles
2. Install and regularly check fire alarms
3. Install sturdy hand rails on stairs
4. Install grab bars near the toilet, shower and tub
5. Make sure any carpeting or rugs have good, slip-proof backing
Following these simple guidelines will help to empower you and your loved one knowing you've done all you can to help keep them safe and independent.
Rpenafiel Level 2 Commenter 8 months ago
Old age has made the elderly weak and vulnerable so it is really important to secure their safety every time. Aside from making their environment safe, it is equally important to enhance their safety with the use of today’s technology. The use of PERS for instance will make them able to call for help immediately in times of crisis. Nowadays, they can already have it in their cell phone, especially if they will be getting a senior cell phone.