Comfortable as a senior’s home may have been over the years, the property may not be designed to specifically meet the current needs of the aging individual. With Christmas just around the corner, you can surprise your loved one with the gift of a home safety makeover.
Modifying an existing home environment makes it possible for a senior to age in a familiar place filled with cherished memories, receive long-term care in the privacy of home and avoid the skyrocketing costs of residing in a senior living community.
Both temporary and permanent modifications allow for an elderly individual to safely maneuver about at home. The senior has more opportunities to remain independent when common areas of the home are adjusted to support aging in place. Technology, too, is integral to today’s home safety makeover.
1. Bathroom Modifications
Grab bars in the bathroom are a necessity. Hot showers allow a buildup of steam, turning the tile floors into a slick mess. Prevent slips inside the bathroom by installing grab bars near the shower and toilet. Ensure the bars screw into the wall for added security and support.
Seniors with arthritic hands will appreciate a touchless faucet along the bathroom sink. An alternative to touchless faucets are levers. Elderly individuals with grip issues handle levers more comfortably. Also consider installing levers on the bathroom door instead of hard-to-twist doorknobs.
A simple modification to the senior’s shower is the addition of a bathtub transfer bench, which may be a low-cost substitute to a walk-in shower. Either option reduces the chances of the elderly individual slipping and falling during the entry into and exit out of the shower.
2. Flooring Makeover
Flooring that fails to accommodate the mobility needs of seniors is a major cause of preventable trips and falls. Replace shaggy carpeting with one that is a half-inch thick or less; seniors who ambulate with the assistance of a walker or wheelchair will do so more easily on shorter-nap carpeting.
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) releases guidelines for flooring, which are especially useful when hunting for slip-resistant flooring for elderly loved ones. ADA certified floors are slip resistant. Alternately, roll ADA-approved anti-slip coating along the bathroom tile for safety.
3. Lighting Adjustments
While the twinkling of holiday lights is delightful for the visual senses, they do little to effectively light up a darkened home. Seniors with poor vision, slower reaction times and balance issues require adequate lighting to navigate the home safely once darkness sets in.
Motion sensor lights are affordable, battery operated and easy to install. Motion triggers the lights to switch on. Once no motion is detected for 15 seconds, the lights turn off, saving battery power. Lights may be placed along the hallway to the bathroom and in the bedroom for seniors’ safety.
Outdoor paths that are adequately lit help to reduce the 27,000 annual fatalities of people over 65 that are caused by falling. Lighting options include wireless ones, which prevent tripping, and lights with built-in night sensors that turn off as needed.
4. Outdoor and Indoor Ramp Installation
Navigating steps is cumbersome for the elderly with mobility problems, arthritis and balance issues. Climbing a set of steps is impossible for seniors who are wheelchair bound. Simplify seniors’ access to the home by installing outdoor ramps. Indoor threshold ramps also facilitate transitioning from room to room.
5. Smart Technology Connections
Smart devices preserve seniors’ safety as well as maintain peace of mind for family members. Sensors on doorways, for instance, alert either relatives or emergency care personnel if a senior enters but fails to exit within a set period of time—an indication that help may be necessary.
Sensors are available to meet all sorts of needs, from monitoring the medicine cabinet door and ensuring medications are taken daily to pressure-sensitive mats that notify family members when a senior loved one gets out of bed. Heat sensors on the stove are essential as a fire safety mechanism.
Automating an aging loved one’s entire home is made fully possible with the conveniences of smart technology. Using a smartphone or remote, the senior can readily control the home’s entertainment system, lights, blinds and any other gadgets that are electronically connected.
Wearable technology is a useful gift that keeps on giving. Seniors who wear the technology, which includes watches, necklaces and devices intended to fit snugly inside the sole of shoes, are designed to execute various functions, like checking vitals, monitoring movement or serving as a medical alert.
Medical alert systems are a necessary gift to seniors who lead an independent lifestyle. The device can be life-saving, especially in instances when the individual falls or experiences an injury. Two-way speakers on the alarms facilitate direct communication with emergency personnel or caregivers.
One of the most invaluable Christmas gifts to present to an elderly loved one who chooses to age in place is the gift of compassion. Assisting Hands Home Care service providers are among the most dedicated. We ensure that our senior care recipients are continually safe and their daily needs are met.
Assisting Hands Home Care Richmond
Caregivers at Assisting Hands Home Care Richmond take pride in their expert knowledge of home safety. Our professionals will perform a thorough home safety inspection of your loved one’s home to ensure that tripping hazards, such as loose rugs, sharp table ends and clutter, are kept out of harm’s way.
Our in-home assessment also starts the process of evaluating the unique personal care needs of your senior loved one. Comprehensive home care services include assistance with bathing, transportation, grocery shopping, meal preparation and companionship. Care services are flexible, such as short-term care for the holidays or care that extends for the long-term.
A home safety makeover starts with practical home modifications. Quality senior care services, like those from Assisting Hands Richmond, are important to continuing complete safety and security for the senior in your life. Families and their aging relatives in Richmond, Virginia, turn to Assisting Hands Richmond for the most dependable home care services. Call Assisting Hands Richmond today at (804) 500-9787 to schedule your FREE in-home consultation so that we can help you provide the expert compassionate care for your loved so that they may remain happy and at home.
