For most people, growing old in a familiar environment is something they view as a priority. If you are healthy enough and up to the challenge, aging in place can be extremely beneficial. If you are the child or close friend of a person entering their golden years, you have a responsibility to help them accomplish their goal of aging in place safely.
Taking the time to inspect the home of your elderly loved one can help you pinpoint potential problem areas. While making a senior’s home safer can take some time and effort, it is well worth the effort. Here are some tips to help make aging in place safer for senior citizens.
Equip Your Elderly Loved One With a Medical Alert System
Finding ways to protect a senior citizen who still lives at home comes with some challenges. That’s because the average home is filled with numerous hazards, which have the potential to cause injury if not mitigated. If a senior citizen is alone when they get hurt, it could be hard for them to get help. Mitigating the risks of these hazards is easy with an investment in a state-of-the-art medical alert system.
With a medical alert system in place, you can rest easy knowing your elderly loved one can receive the medical attention they need in the event of a fall or other injury. Before you invest in one of these systems, you need to take time to consider all of the options at your disposal. Be sure to read reviews and choose the best medical alert system for your needs. Not only will this make living along safer, you and your loved one will also have peace of mind knowing help is just a click away.
Replace Dangerous Home Flooring
The average person thinks very little about the flooring in their home until there is a problem with it. However, as a person gets older, they will need to assess whether or not the flooring in their home poses a risk to them. For example, high-pile carpet and slick tile surfaces can lead to dangerous slip-and-fall accidents. If an elderly person falls, they have a good chance of breaking one or more bones or hitting their head.
Invest in replacing the flooring with low-pile carpeting or slip-resistant laminate flooring. If your elderly loved one prefers the look of hardwood flooring, be sure to check the slip rating before buying a particular type of hardwood. Consulting with flooring professionals is crucial when trying to figure out what type of flooring is best suited for your elderly loved one’s needs. They can also get the new flooring installed quickly and correctly.
Walk-In Tubs Are a Sound Investment
Choosing home upgrades that add both value and comfort to a senior citizen’s home is easier said than done. One of the best ways to make independent living easier is to install a walk-in tub. These tubs are much safer than traditional tubs and are also extremely affordable.
If there is also a shower in the home, make sure you install a shower bench. These benches help to eliminate the risk of falling in the shower and make independent bathing easier. Finally, equip the bathroom with shower bars, as well as grab bars outside the shower to provide the elderly person with a higher degree of stability and safety while they are bathing.
Hard Work Pays Off
Fully optimizing a senior citizen’s home for comfort and safety is not easy. However, with the help of the right professionals and a game plan, you can get this work done the right way to make a home that is safe and comfortable for years to come.
