Home Safety For The Elderly
don't be home without it.
Home safety for the elderly is your number one proactive must do. Many wait until a fall, a tumble down the steps or a slippery
loss of balance in the shower before they start taking action. By then, action is good but often too late. A high number of elderly
whose fall results in a broken hip will die within the first year after surgery despite the best care, physical therapy and motivation.
Don't get ready after the fact, take action now.
While home safety for the elderly must include the entire home, it is important to start your home safety check in the home areas most
often travelled by your loved one. This often includes the bedroom, the bathroom, living room and kitchen. Don't forget to take special
note of the part of the home that your patient enters and exit.
Most falls happen in the bathroom and it has been cursed as the most dangerous room of the home for the elderly. The next most dangerous
room will be the room that your loved one spends most of their time in.
Needless to say, if this is your home or your loved one's home, proceed with safety changes per as you deem best. If, however, you are
caring for a patient and notice hazardous areas, bring these to the attention of your supervisor and the patients's family. Document
what you have observed and who you reported it to.
After making needed changes to the highest travelled areas of your loved one's home, move on towards the rest of the home even if your
loved one never goes there (i.e. the basement etc). One day, you will wake up elderly and will have one less worry on your mind because
your entire home will be safe. If you need to go to work or do not live with your loved, you won't have to wonder about safety issues
if you have taken the time and resources to fix them. And, if you still worry, you can purchase an elderly alarm so that your loved one
is really never home alone.
They may never thank you and may, in fact, resist your efforts to install, remodel or change their familiar surroundings. This is one
of the most common difficulties in caring for an aging parent. It is however, a must. Left undone and ignored will cost your money,
time, heartache and possibly your own health and theirs.
Despite our best intentions and efforts, falls still happen. Money, time and education can do a lot to divert, eliminate and increase
safety awareness for everyone involved. Home safety for the elderly taken seriously can be the most precious token of our love and
affection towards our aging family members.
RELATED PAGES:
Home Safety Topics - Room by Room
Can Fallling Kill You?
How To Choose a Medical Alert System
Medical Alert Bracelets Can Provide Home Safety For The Elderly
How to Use a Gait Belt to Prevent Falls
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