Elderly Home Safety Tips

Safety first is a rule we learn from our elders and then have to use it on them. Maybe our elders teach us the rules of safety so that we would put them to use at least while they are around! On a more serious note, how often don’t we keep hearing about incidents where an elderly woman or man is hurt by a robber or a thug, killed, and looted at gunpoint, all within the premises that he or she calls home? Since they battle with poor eyesight, decreased mobility, and loss of stamina, they become vulnerable to not only incidents of violence, but also common accidents across the home. All it takes is a misplaced rug to give them an electric shock, or a dimly lit staircase to cause them an injury. To add to that, if they cannot contact you when in need, you would have a bigger trouble on your hands. You do not have to, however, insulate the whole house so as to allow them to wander freely. All you need are a few simple guidelines so as to make the home safe for them. Here are some tips to make the home safe for senior citizens.

 

Lights On 

Make sure all the passages around your house, especially those that tend to be darker even during the day, have light bulbs or CFL lamps that are in working condition. If they are not, replace them immediately with better ones. Also, another thing the elderly should always be provided with is a torch or a flashlight, in case the power fails for some reason.

 

Use Power Wisely 

Since electricity is responsible for a number of accidents, some of which can also be extremely grave, you must make sure the earthing at your place is in proper order. Make sure you demonstrate to them carefully how to use a few electrical appliances like microwave ovens and so on. If they need to use blenders or other food processors that run on electricity, get them into the habit of turning it off from the switchboard to open and check its contents. Place enough foot rugs around the house, especially under switchboards, so as to rule out possibility of them suffering from electric shocks.

 

Bathroom Safety Too 

Bathroom is, in fact, arguably the place where most accidents at home occur! Thus, you should make it as less dangerous to the elderly as possible. Make sure the floor is covered with foot rugs that don’t slip. If your bathroom is full of slippery tile wherein the mat doesn’t stay put, create a separate hollow into the floor of the bathroom especially for it. In this place, the mat should fit snugly ruling out the possibility of someone slipping over it.

 

Fix It In Time 

If there is any area around the house, especially around the staircase, that needs repair get it repaired. Staircases that are broken can cause a lot of injuries for the elderly, since they do not enjoy as much mobility as we do.

 

Make It Mobile 

Elderly people might need to be in touch with you for some reason or the other, thus, it is advisable to provide them with a mobile phone. Make sure the phone has a display large enough for them to see, even with their failing eyesight. Get them used to speed dialing system and put all the important numbers on speed dial.

 

Kiddy Help 

Take the help of your kids too, if you have them, in taking care of the elderly at home. Instruct them not to let the elderly wander all over the house all by themselves, to keep a track of their belongings and to serve them food during lunchtime. In case you have older children, who know how to use appliances well, you can trust them with the kitchen or other appliances.

 

Security First 

Make sure your home has a pinhole through which the elderly can see as to who has come home. Instruct the servant or the maid to come to your home only when you are around. If you have any neighbors who stay at home, you may ask them to keep a look out for anything suspicious about the house.