Elderly Home Safety
A common concern for many aging Americans is the ability to live independently for as long as possible. You can help your elderly loved ones do this by taking extra precautions to keep their homes safe.
Because elderly persons tend to be more vulnerable in many areas of their lives, one thing you should do is install deadbolts on all outer doors in their homes as well as peepholes at appropriate heights for them. You might even want to look into a burglary alarm.
It’s also important to keep a list of emergency phone numbers and contacts near your loved one’s phone so that they can easily call for help if they need to. You might want to go a step further and install several phones throughout the house as well as phones that are reachable from the floor is case of a fall.
In the kitchen you want to make sure there is enough light and curtains and other items are away from the stove to prevent fire hazards. You should also spend some time organizing the kitchen to make items reachable without climbing on ladders or chairs to reach. Moving the microwave to a counter instead of suspended above the stove will help reduce spilling of hot foods.
The bathroom is another place that can use a safety makeover. Put non-skid pads in the shower or tub and install grab bars in the showers and tubs as well. The bathroom floor should also be a non-slip surface and any floor mats should have non-skid backings. The faucets need to be easy to turn or should be replaced with levers.
You might need to make some more major changes as well. This includes moving laundry out of the basement and onto the first floor. You might also want to place the washer and dryer on a platform to reduce the bending and pulling necessary to do laundry. Additionally, installing a lowered work area in the kitchen will allow a seated person to prepare food without straining their back.
Another good idea is to make sure that the stairways are free of objects and that there are nightlights in the stairways and hallways and that stairways have sturdy handles. Other safety precautions to keep in mind are to lower the setting of the water heater to 120 degrees or lower, to install lever handles instead of door knobs, and there are enough working smoke detectors throughout the house.
Tips to help you make safety changes to your house:
• Ask friends for recommendations for contractors.
• Get at least three estimates for the project.
• Always check references before deciding to go with a contractor.
• Make sure your chosen contractor has a licensed and is bonded.
• Be sure to get the necessary permits before starting any work.
Ruby started RubyStone Enterprises aka http://www.rubystone.com to help keep you and your little ones stay safe and secure. At http://www.RubyStone.com we offer a wide range of Free Safety advice, Newsletters, guides and tips as well as the very latest in unique safety products to help you protect yourself and loved ones.
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Tags: crime prevention, elder safety, elderly safety, home security, safety, senior care, senior safety
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