There’s no doubt where we all want to be as we age. The majority of seniors polled in recent surveys say they definitely want to stay at home. But until an accident happens, many seniors and their families don’t think about the fact that homes must adapt to the changing needs of seniors as they age.
Important safety areas to highlight in a senior’s home run the gamut from accessibility to lighting to trip and fall hazards. A lack of attention to those details can jeopardize an older adult’s ability to remain at home. The good news is that most home safety improvements are simple and inexpensive:
• Examine dark pathways, corners and other areas where seniors regularly walk or read. Make sure all areas of the home have adequate lighting. Timed and motion-sensor lights outdoors can illuminate potentially dangerous pathways.
• Look for ways to reorganize. Mom always put the black stew pot under the stove to keep the kids from breaking it. Perhaps now it belongs on a shelf beside the stove. And if that hallway table, which has always been a permanent fixture, is becoming a dangerous obstacle, relocate it.
• Look for ways to simplify your senior’s life. Change doorknobs to levers, or purchase grips that can go on conventional knobs. Convert single-bulb light fixtures to multiple bulbs so seniors still have light when one bulb burns out.
• Consider security. Think about the potential dangers that lurk within your loved one’s home. Lock-in switches on thermostats and stoves will keep seniors with dementia and Alzheimer’s disease from harming themselves. Help them manage in their environment by installing a cordless intercom.
• Keep an eye out for damage. Watch for signs that a senior is adapting his or her behavior to the environment. Look for towel bars or windowsills that are pulling away or shower curtains that have torn from seniors using them to grab onto.
• Look for ways to make entries safe. Make sure that railings into a home are in good repair as well as steps and sidewalks are not damaged. Or eliminate steps altogether. Make sure that doors into a home can be set to stay open for carrying groceries and other items in and out. Install remote-control locks.
• Is clutter taking over? Messy conditions and broken items are important warning signs. Remove area rugs and stacks of newspapers and magazines, or other potential obstacles.
For more suggestions, please check our ad in this magazine. For a free home safety checklist, please call 661-254-8701 or email questions to charlenep@homeinstead.com .