How to Make a Home Safe For Your Elderly Relative
Image by John Moeses Bauan on Unsplash
Knowing your elderly relatives are home alone without any safety system in place is a worrying prospect. No one wants to think about ‘what would they do in a crisis?’, or ‘what would happen if I wasn’t there to help them?’
But there are a few things you can implement to make a home safe for your relative and let you rest easy.
Remove trip/fall hazards
Falls are the main cause of injury in the elderly. But there are plenty of ways that you can help to reduce the risk of them falling at home.
Doing simple things, such as tidying up clutter including loose clothes and extension cables, or even removing rugs or purchasing grip pads, can help reduce the number of hazards in the home.
You may even want to consider purchasing your relative some non-slip footwear for when they’re inside the house.
Image by Lida Sahafzadeh on Unsplash
Install a medical alert system
One of the biggest fears we have is that a relative falls and isn’t able to move to call you or the emergency services. Therefore, installing a medical alert system could be hugely beneficial. There a few on the market, but three which we would recommend include:
- Medical Guardian
– Offering a range of medical alert alarms, pendants and watches, Medical Guardian have a 24/7 monitoring centre and have been rated the best-in-class for their customer service.
- LifeFone
– The first company to start producing medical alarms, LifeFone have over 40 years of reliable experience with no activation or equipment fees.
- Bay Alarm Medical
– Using GPS tracking, Bay Alarm Medical have consistently ranked highly in the healthcare industry for providing the best safety alarm features. They also offer a 30-day free trial before you have to commit to anything.
There are plenty of different options and services, so it’s important you compare and read reviews to ensure you’re purchasing the right package for you and your relative.
Hazard-proof the bathroom
Bathrooms can often be the riskiest rooms in a senior’s home, with slippery surfaces and narrow spaces. There are a few things you can do to help:
– Install grab bars in the shower and next to the toilet
– Lay rubber mats in the bathtub and shower to prevent slipping
– Set the thermostat on the water to avoid accidental burns
– Consider purchasing a special bathing chair in the bathtub or shower
– Purchase a raised toilet seat with handlebars that will be easier for moving from sitting to standing
Image by Paweł Czerwiński on Unsplash
Employing a carer
Of course, no home will ever be entirely hazard-free, and you may feel more comfortable if you knew that there was a carer regularly checking in on them to ensure their safety and offer any support.
Home care agencies, such as Caregogi, work hard to match carers in your area with relatives who share the same interests and hobbies; after all, your relative is probably looking for some companionship more than anything in their older age.
Want to find out more? Contact us today to speak to an advisor about our available care packages, or take a look at our website for further information.