Age-related changes to eyesight, balance, cognition, and strength can all make home environments more dangerous for seniors. As a result, you may need to modify your residence before entertaining elderly houseguests or moving them in with you for good. If you are still unsure how to make your home safer for an aging in-place senior, here are some home modification tips.
Most Common At-Home Risks for Seniors
According to seniorsafetyreviews.com, these are the most common causes of accidental injuries and deaths among the aging:
- Falls
- Fire
- Motor vehicle traffic
- Poisoning
- Suffocation and choking
Although these accidents can still occur outside one’s primary residence, adapting your home environment will help lower your senior’s risk of becoming a statistic.
Home Safety Tips for Older Adults
Here are three reliable ways to prepare your home for elderly guests:
Prioritize fall prevention
Falls are the leading cause of injury for those aged 65+. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), one-in-four older Americans fall each year. Many choose not to report the fall to their family or doctor, while others lose their independence permanently.
Fortunately, there are simple measures you can take to reduce your aging loved one’s likelihood of falling:
- Eliminate trip hazards from foot traffic areas and stairs, including throw rugs, electrical cords, and pet supplies.
- Secure or replace any loose handrails.
- Cover any glass tabletops so they can be seen easier.
- Remove small furniture from pathways.
- Point out to your senior any layout changes you’ve made.
Improve the lighting
Accidental falls, fires, and poisonings can all occur due to poor lighting conditions and age-related visual impairment. Inspect the home during both the day and night to determine lighting needs. Do any of the rooms, stairways, or hallways have poorly lit areas?
Once you’ve determined which areas need improvement, “beef up” the lighting using these ideas:
- Add nightlights in the hallway leading from your senior’s bed to the bathroom.
- Install motion-sensor lights outside the home.
- Place task lighting in frequently used spaces.
- Brighten kitchen countertops and cooking surfaces with under-cabinet lighting.
- Add wet-rated lights over the tub or shower.
Address bathroom safety
With its sharp corners, slippery surfaces, and tight spaces, the bathroom can be a dangerous place for the average senior. From a complete bathroom makeover to some simple safety upgrades, you have options when creating a more senior-friendly bathroom.
When remodeling a bathroom or building a new one, consider designing it with your aging loved one’s current and future needs in mind. For instance, your senior may not use a wheelchair or walker now but could in a few years.
Based on your loved one’s condition and your household budget, you may decide to modify the bathroom in these ways:
- Widen the doorway and change the layout.
- Install grab bars near the toilet and in the tub or shower.
- Add a handheld shower nozzle and shower seat in the bathing area.
- Put in a curb-less shower.
- Improve the lighting above the vanity and tub/shower.
- Place nonskid bathmats outside the tub and nonskid strips inside the tub.
Bonus tip: Hire Them a “Personal Assistant.”
If you are still concerned about the safety of your aging-in-place loved one, another option is to hire a professional in-home caregiver from a reputable home care provider. Once you do, their newfound “personal assistant” can assist them with everyday tasks such as bathing, hygiene, grooming, toileting, meal preparation, light housework, and more – all of which will help them sleep better at night!
Turnkey Home Care Services for Families in NW Boston
Finding someone trustworthy to care for an aging-in-place loved one can be challenging. At Assisting Hands Home Care, our professional in-home senior care services allow clients in the greater Boston, MA, area to remain safely and comfortably in their own homes. Our trained, dependable caregivers and personal assistants can help your family overcome its eldercare challenges while making your loved one’s home an even better place to be.
Our turnkey home care services include everything from companionship, meal preparation, medication reminders, and transportation to light housekeeping, laundry, and personal care assistance with bathing and dressing. From a few hours a day to around-the-clock care, our customized in-home care solutions have got your family covered. Click here now to learn more about Assisting Hands Home Care or schedule a free consultation for a senior in Northwest Boston.
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