Safety Proofing for Home Caregiving

Elderly people are more inclined to trip and fall, or otherwise injure themselves at home. Unfortunately, these injuries are harder to recover from at an older age. Luckily, there are many simple precautions that can be taken to greatly reduce the risk of injury.

There are some tasks that can be done 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 can be dangerous if they aren’t adequately prepared:
• Installing an elevated toilet seat will allow elderly individuals to get up and down easily, as will adding a railing on both sides of the toilet.
• The shower should have a bar to grab in case someone starts to slip.
• Placing a shower seat in the tub increases safety.
• The hot water faucet should be labeled or painted red to avoid scalding.
• Slick floors can be made safer by adding a no-slip mat by the sink and shower.
• If the shower door is made of glass, it should be marked with colorful tape or decals so no one accidentally tries to step through the door.

The kitchen can also be safety proofed easily:
• Make sure that all appliances are in good working order. If they aren’t, it may be time to make some new purchases or hire a repairman.
• All appliances should be placed near an outlet at waist height so seniors don’t have to struggle to reach things that are either too high or too low.
• Ensure that there is adequate lighting. This is especially important in the kitchen, where tools such knives and shredders are used on a regular basis.
• Make sure the smoke detector has fresh batteries.

Safety proofing a home may seem like a daunting task, but it is necessary, and most of the jobs that need to be done are relatively simple. Enlisting the help of a friend is a good idea, as the job will go faster and you’ll be less likely to miss anything. With the proper precautions, you can rest assured that your older friend or family member is living in the safest home possible.

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