How to Improve Seniors’ Safety at Home

How to Improve Seniors’ Safety at Home

By Home Security Source Oct 2 , 2010 | 9:30:00 am
Posted in: Fire Prevention, Home, Personal Safety, Senior Safety, Home Security Tips

As more and more seniors are living in homes longer these days, creating a safe and risk-free home environment for our elderly loved ones is very important. Seniors want to enjoy the independence of living in their own homes – they just need a little extra attention around the house. There are many things you can do to improve a senior’s safety in their home. A good place to start is by walking through the home to access the safety level. Things such as cracked stairs or loose electrical cords are high-risk and should be fixed immediately.

According to The State of Home Safety in America™ (2004) conducted by the Home Safety Council, falls are the leading cause of unintentional home injury deaths. In fact, falls account for an average of 5.1 million injuries and nearly 6,000 deaths each year. Although accidents are unintentional, there are still many things we can do to prevent them from occurring and promote seniors’ safety.

Here are some tips on how to prevent falling in the home:

• Install handrails on both sides of the staircase. Make sure that handrails run the entire length of stairs from top to bottom.

• Keep the stairs and open areas clear. Don’t leave clutter lying around.

• Use double sided tape to keep small rugs down.

• Have a non-slip rug in the bathtub and/or shower.

• Install grab bars in the shower.

• Clean up all spills as soon as they happen. Never leave anything wet on the floor.

• Regularly inspect railings for support and sturdiness.

• Fix any broken or chipped steps, tiles, or flooring.

Here are some additional tips to improve seniors’ home security:

• Good lighting is vital. Make sure bedrooms, hallways and porches are well lit. Have a light accessible within an arm’s distance from the bed and have light switches near every doorway.

• Monitoring devices, such as fire alarms and carbon monoxide detectors, should be regularly checked to ensure they are properly working.

• Communication is key! Have emergency numbers ready and prominently displayed. Install phones near the bed and perhaps in the bathroom too.

• The more security, the better! Make sure that all windows can lock. Install dead bolt locks and large peep holes on all external doors.

Seniors want their independence just as much as anyone else – and they deserve it! But the reality is that they are more at risk in their homes. It is important to adequately evaluate a senior’s safety in their home and take every precaution to eliminate all risks and provide the best resources available.

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George Lagarde

ReverseMortgageLV.com

GLagarde@AllWestern.com