Seniors want to stay in their homes and one of their greatest fears is having to leave their home. A major reason they are forced to leave is a debilitating fall, where they wind up in the hospital and are told, “Returning home is no longer an option!” PREVENTION is key to avoiding a scenario like the above.
Let’s look at some things that can be done to make Aging in Place safer. Look at your entrance area first then the living room, kitchen, bathroom and bedroom. Are there excess pieces of furniture or items on the floor that could be a tripping hazard?
Area , or scatter rugs can be disastrous! We worked with a gentleman who insisted on having small scatter rugs beside his bed. When everything was in place, exactly as he requested, I sat down with him and said, “I’m really concerned about you when you get up during the night to go to the bathroom that you might trip on a rug and have a bad fall.”
He realized that the rugs were a hazard and said, “Please remove them.”
As seniors we frequently use our arms to get out of a chair or a hand railing to assist us with climbing stairs. Our house has a very low step up to it yet Doug had a fall and thankfully didn’t hurt himself. We phoned a handy man to schedule time for him to come and design and install a solid railing. I mentioned it to one of our sons and he quickly said, “Cancel the appointment. I’m coming out.” A short while later “Robinson Brothers Construction” (both our sons) arrived with the tools they needed to build a railing.
Nearly every day Doug mentions how wonderful it is to have the railing….even for one step to “STEADY”
YOURSELF” especially if you have groceries in hand!
There are many other things that can be done inexpensively and quickly to make a home safer!
With nearly 25 years of experience helping over 5000 seniors to live a better life safely, Senior Moves has the knowledge, experience and connections to help you or a loved one. Call for an estimate or consultation and alleviate some of your fears!