Senior Safety

Many seniors live in homes that have not been equipped for elderly care. This makes injuries more likely, which is unfortunate because it takes people longer to recover as they age. However, there are many safety tips that can help prevent a serious injury.

Living Room Safety

All rugs and loose carpets should be either tacked or taped to the ground. This will prevent seniors from tripping on turned-up corners or scrunched rugs.
Electric cords should be secured to the wall and SHOULD NEVER be placed under rugs.
Sharp corners on tables or countertops should be covered to avoid serious injury in the event of a fall.
Staircases should have railings on both sides that are strong enough to support a person’s full body weight. Ideally these railings should extend beyond the top and bottom steps.

Bathroom Safety

Installing an elevated toilet seat will allow elderly individuals to get up and down easily, as will adding a railing on both sides of the toilet.
The shower should have a bar to grab in case someone starts to slip.
Placing a shower seat in the tub increases safety.
The hot water faucet should be labeled or painted red to avoid scalding.
Slick floors can be made safer by adding a no-slip mat by the sink and shower.
If the shower door is made of glass, it should be marked with colorful tape or decals so no one accidentally tries to step through the door.

Kitchen Safety

The kitchen also needs to be safety proofed.

Any appliances that do not work properly need to be replaced. Using them increases the risk of injury. If money is an issue, hiring a repairman may be cheaper.
Place all appliances at waist level so seniors do not have to struggle to reach things that are either too high or too low.
Adequate lighting is especially important in the kitchen, where sharp tools are used on a frequent basis. Replace any burned out light bulbs and consider adding an additional desk lamp by the cutting board.
Make sure the smoke detector is in good working order and has fresh batteries and replace it every 10 years.
Install a CO Detector on every floor of the home, including the basement. Also, install one near or over (but not in) an attached garage. And don’t forget to replace them every 5-6 years.

Safety proofing a home may seem like a daunting task, but it is necessary, and most of the jobs that need to be done are relatively simple but you can trust the more challenging tasks to the experts at Home Safe Home Childproofing and their Generational Safety Solutions. With the proper precautions, you can rest assured that your older friend or family member is living in the safest home possible.

We are experts in skid resistant and bumper padding the right area of your home that may be a concern for safety. Especially if this older friend or family member is living with a medical condition that makes them susceptible to frequent falls. We will walk you through your home and provide you with a checklist of potential hazards, free of charge, as well as give you some safety guidelines that you can do yourself.

Home Safe Home Childproofing can help you prevent any injury to your older loved one or friend, so give us a call at 1•800•531•9527 or contact us today to discuss your senior safety concerns.