Senior Home Safety Saves Lives

For those caring for aging parents or older relatives with Alzheimer’s or Dementia, it is important to realize that there is a higher risk that these seniors will injure themselves in their own homes if the proper safety precautions aren’t made against to safeguard them against certain home hazards.

These degenerative diseases may affect aging adults in different ways, but some of the common effects are:

•    Changes in vision & depth of perception
•    Changes in cognitive ability
•    Changes in physical ability

If you are caring for an elderly parent who is effected by changes in vision, cognitive or physical ability, it is imperative that you begin to look at their home in a completely new light. There could be a host of hazards waiting to happen that could cause your loved one a severe injury.

Making the Home Safe for your Aging Parents

There are number of things you can do to make the home of your aging parent or relative under your care, safe and secure without breaking the bank. The important thing to understand is how the disease has affected your aging loved one and the best way to compensate for those changes.

Here are a few tips that you can use when caring for an older parent with Alzheimer’s or Dementia:

Increase the Lighting – Adding more lighting is a major consideration for those affected by these diseases. As stated above, there is a chance that there may be changes in the vision of these older adults and adding additional lighting will help compensate for some of the acuity they may have lost.

Secure Walkways – Another area of major concern are the walkways and open areas. Make sure that all walkways remain clear of obstructions (including cords, rugs, etc). Some home safety assessments recommend using reflective tape to outline walkways, so they can be more visible to the older adults.

While you are in the process of securing the walkways, it is also helpful to place covers over electrical outlets, lock doors leading to basements, garages, cabinets, closets, pool areas, etc.

Reorganize the Kitchen – Making the kitchen safer for your aging parent or loved one could include anything from removing electrical appliances, cutting off gas stoves and garbage disposals, putting away knives and utensils that may cause injuries, picking up rugs, removing flammable liquids. No kitchen is the same, so it is important to look at the kitchen critically to assess what may pose a risk to your loved ones.

The Bedroom – The same critical evaluation must be applied to the bedroom. Some hazards may include rugs, space heaters or radiators, scattered cords or furniture. Another consideration is the bed; you may want to look into adding rails to prevent falls or mats on the floor near the bed to minimize injuries in case a fall happens.

The Bathroom – Consider installing hand rails, raised toilets, plastic shower stools (if there is no bathtub), hand-held shower heads and slip mats, etc. It is also important to lock the medicine cabinets and remove any medication that may be lying around (along with electrical razors, blow dryers, etc).

These are just a few ways that you can make your home safe for the aging parent or relative that your are caring for. You can also perform online searches and find out what other caregivers have done to make their loved ones homes safer. Taking these little steps can go a long way in ensuring that your loved one remains safe and secure in their home.

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1. Should my Elderly Parents be Driving?
2. Tips for Speaking to Elderly Parents about Your Concerns
3. Plastic Furniture & Home Safety Threats To The Elderly