What Can You Do Quickly to Make Your Senior Feel Safer at Home?
When it comes to making sure that your aging adult is as safe as possible at home, you may have limited resources as her caregiver. Often improving safety quickly is vital, while adhering to a limited budget can also be important.
Remove as Much Clutter as You Can
Clutter can be one of the biggest problems for your aging adult when it comes to maintaining a safe home. Clutter can create tripping hazards and lead to serious injuries. Your senior may have a different idea about clutter than you do, however, so you may need to negotiate a bit about what gets moved and to where.
Change out Light Bulbs for Brighter Versions
Even if you feel as if your senior’s rooms are quite bright enough, she may be experiencing vision changes which require a bit more light in order for her to see properly. Go through the different light fixtures and check what types of bulbs are in them currently. Upgrade the bulbs to LED bulbs, which are usually brighter and more cost effective.
Install Hand rails
Hand rails are vital for your senior to be able to catch herself if she falls or to stabilize her balance. While hand rails are usually installed in stairways and bathrooms, consider adding them to any area where your elderly family member might need them. Long hallways are an excellent place to install them, as are kitchens.
Turn Down the Temperature on the Hot Water Heater
Scalding is another serious cause for concern. You can install anti-scalding devices on showers, tubs, and faucets, but an even easier and more inexpensive option is to turn the temperature down on the hot water heater. This is really easy to do and you’ll likely never notice any difference in the hot water when you use it. The big positive is that it reduces the risk of scalding.
Keep a list of the larger projects that need to be handled to make your senior’s home safer so that you can tackle them as soon as you’re able.
If you or an aging loved one are considering Home Care Services in Puyallup WA, contact the caring staff at Hospitality Home Care today. Call us at (206) 966-6552.
- Is Chocolate a Healthy Valentine’s Day Treat? - February 1, 2018
- Preventing Hip Fractures in Elders - January 24, 2018
- Ways to Work Out When It’s Too Cold to Go Outside - January 18, 2018