Tips for Preventing Accidents in Your Senior’s Home

Even a small obstruction on the ground can pose a major accident risk for senior. Just a few seconds off balance can result in devastating injury. Because of this, it’s important to take time to accident-proof your elderly loved one’s home, making it a safe place for them to relax. There are a number of easy and quick ways to do this, including:

• Keep floors clean at all times: Grandkids’ toys, pet food bowls, shoes, clothing items, and upturned corners of rugs can all pose a major risk as your elderly parent moves about their home. To greatly reduce the chances of a fall, keep floors clean at all times. Find neat ways to organize toys, cords, and other items, and get rid of all unnecessary area rugs.
• Keep floors dry: Not only should floors be clear of clutter, those who work in elder care services explain that they should also be kept clean and dry. Greasy food spills make it easy for a senior to lose their balance and fall. Make sure any wax used on floors is non-slip, and help your loved one mop up spills as soon as they happen.
• Install proper lighting: If rooms are poorly lit, your elderly parent may get off balance and end up slipping on their way to the kitchen or bathroom. Make sure that all light bulbs are replaced quickly, and that the wattage is bright enough to make a difference.
• Install a grab bar in the shower: It is common for elderly individuals to find showering challenging, explain home care professionals, as they have to be on their feet maneuvering around for an extended period of time. To make showering safe, install a grab bar in the tub. This allows your loved one to quickly regain their balance if they get unstable for a moment. It can also make entering and exiting the tub much easier.
• Place benches throughout the home: Much like a grab bar in the shower, placing benches in your senior’s home makes it easy to take a rest and catch their breath should they feel slightly off balance for a moment. Put benches throughout the house to allow them to sit down safely when they need to rest.

Do not neglect the outside of your elderly parent’s home either. Make sure that walkways are cleared and salted during snowy months, and that paths are illuminated by bright outdoor lighting.