[HOME]
[Annual Report]
[CALENDAR]
[NANAY-California]
[NANAY-Michigan]
[NEWS UPDATE]
[Caregiver Support]
[SERVICES]
[Web links]
[Webmall] | |
CAREGIVER SUPPORT: Safety
Tips
Not every senior needs specialized care. Elderly people who are able to
function safely and independently in their own homes don't have to be uprooted just
because they reach a certain age. Some elders can remain safe and independent with a
little home modification.
- Put new locks on the entry doors. Make sure someone besides the elder has
access; there have been instances in which a senior fell, but no one could get in to offer
help.
- If entry doors have glass panes, replace them with solid doors for
greater protection against break-ins.
- Get rid of area rugs. If rugs are needed, make sure they have rubber
backing to prevent slips and falls.
- "Clear the flight path." To prevent falls, make sure that the
paths from the living room to the kitchen, bathroom and bedroom are free of clutter.
- Put additional lights in rooms, hallways and stairwells if needed.
- Install grab-bars in bathrooms. Available in most home improvement
stores, these are easily nailed or screwed into the walls. Place them in areas where the
senior might have balance problems, such as in and near the tub and near the toilet.
- If the elder has hip or knee pain, install an elevated toilet seat
(available in local drug and department stores).
- Replace existing shaky or rusted handrails outside the home.
- Look for places where you can add extra handrails outside the home. Watch
the elder coming and going and walking around inside the house. See where he or she
naturally grabs for furniture or a wall, then put a handrail in those locations. Remember,
these can be attractively designed, but they must be functional.
- If the senior is unable to climb stairs properly, consider installing a
chair lift. They reduce risk of injury, and the cost is nominal given the long-term
effect.
- Other modifications might include putting a small stackable washer-dryer
in the kitchen so basement stairs can be avoided, or renting a hospital bed and setting up
a secondary bedroom on the first floor.
- Search for anything that might make life easier for the elderly person,
including magnifying glasses, a telephone with big numbers or pillboxes. Ask your
pharmacist and family doctor what they would recommend or what other people have found
helpful.
- A resource for aids for visual impairment is the Lighthouse Catalog
(1-800-829-0500).
- A resource for other products to improve quality of life for elders is
MOMS (1-800-232-7443).
Source: http://www.intelihealth.com
|
