The safety of the elderly is determined by the kind of homes they leave in. the elderly spend more time at home because they do not participate in most of the outdoor activities.
Tips for Elderly Safety
Reduce Fall Risk
One of the most important things to make the elderly safe is to remove any possible fall hazards. Here is how to reduce the fall risk.
- Decorative rugs are good for the rest of the family but can be hazardous to the elderly. You will need to remove the rugs to provide a better grip for a walking cane and free movement of a wheelchair.
- Remove clutter on the pathways and in their bedrooms. Clutter includes shoes, clothes, and cables crossing the pathways. Clutter increases the falling risk.
- Discard some furniture. The elderly need enough space in the living room as well as in the kitchen to move around. A congested living room is a recipe for falling or tripping. No elderly wants to keep pushing a seat to pass. It is exhausting and can cause joint injuries. To sort this problem, discard or sell some of the furniture to free up space.
- Widen the doors and install grab bars. A door should be wide enough to accommodate the movement of a wheelchair and the ease use of the walking chair. Grab bars provide extra support and minimize the risk of tripping and falling.
- Let the elderly wear non-slippery footwear. Get a shoe with a sole that provides extra grip. Sandals and floppy shoes increase the risk of falling in the house.
- Have a walk-in bathroom or a shower bench or a bathtub that has a door. All these modifications help to reduce the risk of falling since many accidents happen in the bathroom.
Keep Emergency Numbers Close
Consider having a basic phone for the elderly that is easy to operate. You can set the call display for the elderly to easily recognize a phone call and to call whenever they need help. Let the phone has emergency contact lines written on a paper and stuck it at the back of the phone. These numbers can be used in case they get lost and are unable to retrieve contacts on the phone.
Besides, you can give them a panic button. It can be worn as a wrist band or as a necklace. It can also be installed in the wheelchair and at the bedside. The elderly can press the panic button whenever they need help.
Security Cameras
Install security cameras in the house to scare away thieves. Good security cameras are worth investing because it will reduce the insurance premiums and will provide evidence to the police in case of an attack. Besides, the security camera can be linked to your smartphone and you can be able to view what is happening at home. It will give you peace of mind.
Install peephole at a low level where they can see someone outside when sited in a wheelchair. It will allow the elderly to only open for people that they know and reduce the risk of an attack.
Modify the Bedroom
The bedroom needs to be modified to make the senior safe. For instance, you can have a bed that can be adjusted. The advantage of having such a bed is to allow the senior to lower it whenever they need to use it. The senior can also lift the legs and the bag to a comfortable position to read a book or to play games. Additionally, you can have rails on both sides to prevent the elderly from rolling over and to provide extra support to turn.
The bedroom floor should be kept off liter and clothes should be well arranged in the closet for easy access. The caregiver should constantly check the pathways and the bedroom to remove any obstacle or clothes.
The elderly safety is crucial because it will promote their mental health and minimize stress and depression. The safer they feel, the livelier they are going to be. Make it easier to participate in outdoor activities by providing a motorized wheelchair or a walking roller. With these mobility devices, they can participate in activities such as picnics, fruit picking, or a walk in the park.
