Home Caregiving Safety Tips

From ArticlePlugIn

Many seniors live in homes that have not been equipped for elderly care. This makes injuries more likely, which is unfortunate because it takes people longer to recover as they age. However, there are many safety tips that can help prevent a serious injury.

There are some steps that can be taken in any living area of the home.

* All rugs and loose carpets should be either tacked or taped to the ground. This will prevent seniors from tripping on turned-up corners or scrunched rugs.
* Electric cords should be secured to the wall or placed under rugs so no one trips on them.
* Sharp corners on tables or countertops should be covered to avoid serious injury in the event of a fall.
* Staircases should have railings on both sides that are strong enough to support a person’s full body weight.
 Ideally these railings should extend beyond the top and bottom steps.

Bathrooms need some specific work in order to be as safe as possible.
* Place no-slip rugs near the toilet, sink, and shower to help prevent falls.
* A raised toilet seat can help seniors sit down and get off the toilet seat with ease. Adding bars on both sides of the toilet is also beneficial.
* Installing a grab bar in the shower can provide valuable stability. A shower seat is also useful, especially if long showers are enjoyed.
* Shower doors that are made of glass should be labeled with bright tape or decals. This will prevent anyone from stepping through the door because it wasn’t seen.
* Label the hot water faucet or paint it red to avoid scalding.

The kitchen also needs to safety proofed.
* Any appliances that do not work properly need to be replaced. Using them increases the risk of injury. If money is an issue, hiring a repairman may be cheaper.
* Place all appliances at waist level so seniors do not have to struggle to reach things that are either too high or too low.
* Adequate lighting is especially important in the kitchen, where sharp tools are used on a frequent basis.

Replace any burned out light bulbs and consider adding an additional desk lamp by the cutting board.
* Make sure the smoke detector is in good working order and has fresh batteries.

Safety proofing a home can be time consuming, but it is necessary. Consider asking a friend-especially one who is good with tools-for help. Once you have safety proofed your loved one’s home, you can rest assured knowing that you have taken active steps to ensure his safety.