Top 10 List for Safety for Seniors at Home
Safety for seniors at home begins with eliminating fall risks in the home. Review an elderly home safety checklist. Followed by installing equipment to improve the general safety of the home and ensure stability in places where transitions occur such as bathrooms and stairways. A solid plan for senior safety at home may include adding a medical alert system with fall detection, medication management tools, and the scheduling of routine check-ins.
Senior Safety at Home Essentials
- Secure Rugs
- Install Handrails
- Install Grab Bars
- Keep Home Well Lit
- Avoid Step Ladders
- Keep Safety Equipment Up to Date
- Install Medical Alert System
- Prescription Medication Management
- Family and Friend Check-Ins
- Non-Slip Floor Mats
Secure Senior Homes by Removing Tripping Hazards
Secure rugs and carpets that may cause a trip hazard in the home with seniors. Identify commonly traveled paths in the home such as bedroom to bathroom and living room to the kitchen and ensure a clear path. Use Rug gips or non-slip padding underneath to stop them from moving and folding up creating an uneasy surface for walking on.
Install Handrails and Grab Bars
All seniors aging in place should have handrails installed on both sides of their stairwells. These rails provide security and safety for seniors that live in a home with sets of stairs.
Grab bars should be installed in all locations that are warranted. The most common places for senior bathroom aids like grab bars include adjacent to the toilet and where the bathtub or shower is located.
Bright Lights Make Senior Homes Safe at Night
Entryways to the home need to be well-lit. During the late fall through the early spring, it gets dark outside early and proper lighting will help in walking to and from the home. Hallways from the bedroom to the bathroom, kitchen, and living rooms should be lit with lights. Night lights that are motion activated are an easy way to add some light when needed in places where you would not want a traditional light.
Grabbers Help Avoid Falls
A grabber is odd to use at first. However, having a grabber for reaching things that normally required a step stool will reduce the likelihood of a fall. Falls are one of the biggest reasons why seniors move into assisted living or nursing homes. Avoiding one at all costs for elderly individuals is highly recommended. Better to use a grabber to reach that seldom-used item on top of the refrigerator than end up in nursing care.
Maintain Home Safety Equipment
Home safety equipment maintenance is essential for senior safety at home. For example, smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors require annual battery checks. These devices can be hardwired into the home. However, if battery-operated it is wise to change the battery once per year. Replacing 9-volt batteries once per year is cheap and provides peace of mind that a detector will work when it is needed most.
Safety Alert for Seniors
A medical alert system delivers an extra layer of security and protection for the elderly. Pressing a button that gets you directly in contact with emergency responders means if something does happen in the home, help is only a push of the button away. Medical alert systems offer home-based or mobile solutions. A mobile medical alert device includes GPS location services to let help find you when a fall or medical emergency happens away from home. As a result, seniors with a medical alert system are more likely to age in place longer than those without.
Prescription Medication Management
Individuals managing a chronic medical condition have multiple prescription medications to take each day. Using a medication management system helps keep everything in order. Most people can use a simple paper and pen system with a pill box to keep track of meds for the day and week. However, individuals managing a complex routine or need assistance with remembering the daily routine benefit from electronic automated medication dispensers. These devices help seniors never miss taking a pill again. Taking the wrong pills or forgetting medications is a significant cause of emergency room visits.
Family & Friend Check-Ins
A family or friend check comes in many forms. Simple phone calls are a great way to keep tabs of loved ones that live across town. Making a physical check-in at least once a day becomes very important for elderly aging in place seniors that do not live with another person. When checking in at a loved ones home look for any hazards or dangers in the home and change the burned-out lightbulbs in the home if you see any needing attention.
Non-Slip Bathroom Floors
All seniors should have non-slip bathroom floors. Bathrooms are where so many falls occur, it is essential to proactively address them. First, add a non-slip surface to the bathtub or shower floor if none is present. Second, check the bath mat outside the tub and make sure it does not easily move. Lastly, check that grab bars are installed by the tub/shower and the toilet.
Simple Home Safety Walkthrough
Use the suggestions above as a simple home safety checklist for seniors aging in place. With the intention to identify gaps in safety and resolve them immediately.