How to Make an Aging Loved One’s Home Safer

About 75 percent of adults aged 50 and older intend to stay in their homes, whether for financial reasons or to remain in a familiar place. Yet many older properties were not built with senior safety in mind. Make sure your spouse, parent or other aging loved one has a safe place to live the following tips.

Eliminate Fall Hazards

Beyond slippery surfaces, common fall risks among seniors include clutter, obstructions and low lighting. To minimize these risks, ensure the property has the following features:

• Textured, non-skid strips in the shower, kitchen, bedroom, hallways and on stairs
• A place to sit in fall-prone areas, such as a shower chair or stairlift
• Secure carpeting and rugs that will not bunch up
• Grab bars around the toilet and in the shower
• A higher seat for the toilet
• Secured electrical cords
• Additional lighting that creates contrast

Consider Home Modifications

Most homes are not equipped for adults using mobility devices. Hallways and doorways may be too narrow for a wheelchair and accessing the front door often requires climbing steps. Common safety modifications include:

• Installing ramps
• Widening doorways and hallways
• An open-plan first floor to get around easier
• Installing grab bars throughout the home
• Adding more lighting
• Removing bumps to make the threshold between rooms more even
• Replacing the bathtub with a walk-in shower
• Lowering the light switches to wheelchair height
• Installing secure benches where activities of daily living are performed
• Paving between outdoor areas

Lifestyle Changes

Along with physical safety, help your loved one implement lifestyle changes to reduce fall risks, manage medications and avoid other types of emergencies:

• Get them a wearable fall alert device.
• Use medication organizers or sign up for a delivery service that pre-sorts and organizes their pills.
• Consider a GPS tracking device, especially if they are in the early stages of dementia.
• Simplify technology, including easy-to-use phones with built-in emergency support and telehealth services.
• Make sure your loved one has appropriate modification devices based on their condition. This may include a hearing aid, low vision aids, a walker or cane.
• Help organize their belongings to avoid clutter becoming a fall hazard.
• Make sure all smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are in working order.
• Schedule HVAC inspections twice a year.
• Make sure lightbulbs continue to provide enough illumination.

If you’re concerned about your loved one’s health and safety at home, consult with the medical team at Avon Health Center. To learn more, contact us today.