Easy to Implement Home Safety Tips
Creating a safe and secure living environment is the first step towards achieving a stay-at-home arrangement for the aging or disabled. When implemented successfully, these safety measures can help individuals avoid serious injury due to decreased mobility and other challenges. Combining these tips with services from Livability will help prevent or delay relocation to a skilled nursing or assisted living facility.
1. Lower the water heater temperature to prevent scalding.
2. As we age our vision dims, making better lighting conditions important for both comfort and safety reasons. Replace low-light bulbs with 60 watt bulbs for most areas, and 100 watt bulbs for reading areas and working areas, such as the kitchen, to reduce risks of cuts and burns. Night lights help prevent late night bumps and falls - place them along the route to the bathroom.
3. Rugs can be a tripping hazard, and are a leading cause of falls. Remove any rugs that are not firmly attached.
4. If possible, replace steps with ramps or avoid steps altogether. If there are stairs, be sure the stairway is free of clutter, the edges are clearly marked (bright electrical tape works well for this), the stairs are well-lit, and there is a rail for support.
5. Clear walkways of electrical cords to prevent tripping. Secure all potentially hazardous cords with bright colored tape to draw attention to it. Do not cover cords with rugs, as this can also be a tripping hazard.
6. Use textured bathmats on bathroom floors, in bathtubs and in showers to reduce the risk of slipping.
7. Reduce clutter, such as clothes, books, and other objects left on the floor, to prevent tripping.
8. Use chair cushions to raise seats, making it easier for individuals to get up and down from low chairs and sofas. Folded blankets and pillows are a temporary solution.
9. Use non-skid wax and floor cleaning solution to prevent slippery floors.
10. Move lamps closer to the bed, couch, recliner or anywhere else an elderly person might rest so they can be easily reached from a sitting or lying position.
Finally, you may want to consider having a home safety assessment done by a CAPS certified Age-in-Place specialist in order to identify additional modifications that you can make.
