As our parents get older, a simple daily household can become troublesome and dangerous to them. Once your parents get old, it becomes your responsibility to take care of them. It will be easier if you hire a caregiver if you have the budget. Luckily, I’m sharing with you the best tips on how to safety proof home for the elderly.
Remember that senior care is one of the most stressful and toughest obligations you can have. If you are caring for an older adult at your home, it is vital to pace yourself. The pacing will help you stay as healthy as possible, further providing great care. Read on to learn more on how to safety proof home for the elderly.
Top 3 Caregiving Tips
Caregivers have an option to care for your older adult at your home. One of the wonderful things to do is keep your aging parents at home to keep them safe for everyone involved. Here are the top three caregiving tips that you can do at your home that you can include on the “how to safety proof home for elderly” checklists.
Understanding How Much Care They Need
The number one step you need to do is find out how much care your older adult needs. You can create daily, weekly, and monthly care needs that will help you understand how much help they need during the day, night, and on weekends. You can include this step on your ‘how to safety proof home for elderly’ checklists. Make sure that everything is captured.
Providing Care without Harming Your Health
Once you already know what are the needs of your older adult. You can now easily figure out if there is something you can handle without help. You can evaluate and think carefully about how much care you realistically provide without harming your health. Remember that taking too much work will eventually develop a serious health condition.
Asking Help from Caregivers
Remember that finding caregiving is an investment that will pay off in the future, and finding help takes patience, creative thinking, and effort. It will be worth it when you can decrease your workload, take regular breaks, and reduce stress.
Open your mind and be flexible to help you spot more opportunities for getting help. Make sure to list all your needs and write down to remind you of the types of help you need.
How to Safety Proof Home for the Elderly
Besides the tips mentioned above, you can also add this one to your ‘how to safety proof home for elderly’ checklists. Once you notice that your elderly family member have more problems in getting around independently, then your family is in a hard situation. If you are starting to worry about your elderly, I provide a list of important steps you can take to fall-proof your family’s home and prevent a catastrophic event. Find out more about Safety For Safety Proofs.
The Traction Floor is the Key
You can start with the basics. The following are the first crucial steps that you can do to fall-proof your loved one’s home:
- Some seniors shuffle their feet instead of picking them up when they walk. This situation puts them at a much higher risk of hurting and falling. In that case, you should secure all carpets to the floor. You can also consider covering the hardwood with anchored carpet. It provides a softer surface and gives your loved one more traction around the house. You can now get rid of any high-pile carpets that can cause trips.
- You should remove throw rugs that can slip from under your parent’s feet. It would be best if you considered buying a non-slip rug pad. These rug anchors help to prevent slips and trips.
Make Sure Home is Easy to Navigate
Aside from having a traction floor, make sure that your home is easy to navigate. The following are the tips that will help make sure that your parents can safely move around the house:
- Make sure to open the space. You can arrange your furniture so there would be enough space to move around. Get rid of the end tables or furniture; that the only purpose is for decoration.
- Accessible use items. Avoid the furniture that has high shelves if your old adult member reaches for these things that can result in falls. Figure out the things that your parents need to access the most and make them accessible.
- Make sure your house has adequate lighting. Check if every single room in your house needs good light. You can buy a nightlight and put them in the bathroom or in any spot in your house that will be helpful for your parents when they get up at the midnight.
Secure Your Stairs
- Install railing on your stairs. Make sure every set of stairs in your house has at least two railings for your parent.
- Apply a non-slip adhesive strip on the stairs.
- Install grab bars in their bathtub, toilets, and shower.
Top 3 Safety Tips for Elderly
Here are the things you need to do to make them safer:
Safety Proof Your Home
Make sure all your hallway stairs and path are clear from destructive objects such as books or shoes. You can let them use rails and banisters when going up and down the stairs. You should never place scutter rugs at the bottom or top of the stairs. You can also put tape to all area rugs to the floor so it will not move when they walk.
Protect Them Against Fire and Other Dangers
Make sure they wear loose clothes or clothes with long sleeves when they are cooking. It would be best if you replaced the appliances that have electrical cords damaged. Install a smoke detector and replace its battery twice a year.
Protect Them from Accidental Bathroom Hazards
You should set a thermostat on the water heater that is no higher than 120 degrees Fahrenheit to prevent scalding. If they are having a hard time getting in and out of their tub, ask your provider to help them get a special tub chair or bench.
Conclusion
Now, you’ve learned the best tips and tricks on how to safety proof home for the elderly. It’s important to keep your eye on them, as they are more prone to accidents and trips to the emergency room. You can follow the tips mentioned above to make them feel safer.