Soon it will be time again for families across the country to decorate their homes for the holidays. If your aging parents are like most, they’ll want to join in the holiday festivities by decorating their home as they eagerly anticipate entertaining family and friends. And although the holidays are a time of joy, togetherness, and celebration, they can also be dangerous for many seniors. One way to help you and your parents avoid spending your holidays in the E.R. is by using these home decorating safety tips. Here are three mistakes that you should avoid when decorating your aging parents’ home this holiday season.
Common Holiday Decorating Mishaps for Seniors
Age-related physical and cognitive changes combined with a commitment to upholding holiday traditions can lead to dangerous situations that put the average senior at risk.
These common holiday decorating mishaps injure scores of older adults each year:
- Falling off ladders and stepstools
- Trip-and-fall accidents
- Mishaps resulting from trying to lift heavy items
- Home fires
And because “’tis the season” for overindulging, many of these accidents occur while the victim is under the influence of alcohol courtesy of boozy egg nog, wine, or another holiday beverage of choice.
Holiday Decoration Safety Tips for Older Adults
Thankfully, most injuries that occur this time of year can be easily avoided if seniors exercise caution and set reasonable limits. Ways to help your parents safely decorate their home for the holidays and celebrate the festivities include:
Minimize fall risks
Respectfully ask Mom and Dad not to climb on stepladders and stepstools. Instead, offer to hang their outside lights and top off the tree with their favorite ornament. Be sure to go around the house and eliminate trip-and-fall hazards, including extension cords, repositioned furniture, area rugs, and decorations, in high foot traffic areas.
Eliminate fire starters
For various reasons, the holidays see a significant increase in home fires each year. Keep your parents from becoming another home fire statistic by encouraging them to do the following:
- Place the tree far from any fireplaces, burning candles, or radiators.
- If either parent has dementia, install an automatic shut-off timer on the stove.
- Substitute flameless LED candles for real candles.
- If they use a fireplace, only add one artificial log at a time, and be sure the fire is extinguished completely before going to bed.
- Turn off all holiday lights and extinguish any candles before leaving home or going to bed.
- If they prefer a live tree, be sure it’s watered thoroughly once or twice daily.
- Avoid overusing power bars and extension cords. Any outside extension cords should be rated for outdoor use.
Encourage responsible drinking
Although there’s nothing wrong with having a few holiday drinks while celebrating, Mom and Dad need to understand that being under the influence impairs motor function and increases one’s odds of having an accident.
Ask them to drink responsibly by taking these alcohol-related accident prevention steps:
- If your parents know they’ll be drinking while away from home, plan to spend the night where they are, have a designated driver, or call a taxi or ride-sharing service.
- Avoid driving on the night before Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, and New Year’s Eve, as these are nights on which drunk driving is more prevalent.
- Do not drink before cooking, decorating, or using the fireplace.
Get Them a Personal Companion
If you’re still worried about Mom and Dad’s health and well-being, another option is to hire a professional caregiver from a reputable home care provider. In addition to helping your parents decorate for the holidays, their newfound “personal assistant” can assist with activities of daily living (ADLs) or provide some good old-fashioned conversation as Mom and Dad reminisce about holidays past and eagerly anticipate this year’s festivities!
Customized Home Care Solutions for Seniors in NW Boston
Keeping aging parents safe and comfortable any time of year can be hard when you’re busy or live far away. 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. To learn more about Assisting
Hands Home Care or schedule a free consultation for a senior in Northwest Boston, click here now.
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