How To Make Your Home Safer For Your Elderly Family Member?

Table of Contents

1. Stairlifts
2. Ramps And Railings
3. Slip And Fall Prevention
4. Extra Lighting
5. Lock And Key Features
6. Security Cameras
7. Why do seniors require more care?

It is now apparent that there is a great need for a home safety inspection for elderly occupants. It’s important to find out what your seniors can still do safely, and what kinds of dangers they may face at home. So, here are some tips you can use to make your home safer for your family members.

Stairlifts

A stair lift is a great way to keep your elderly family member safe in the home. If they have trouble going up and down stairs, a special chair can be installed in their home that allows them to move from floor to floor with ease.

Since this lift allows them to remain on the same floor, it reduces the risk of accidents from falls. Location and precision are very significant when installing a stairlift.

You should hire a professional or a stairlift company to install your lift for you. If you live in England, you could search for “stairlifts in Peterborough” or “stairlifts in Nottinghamshire”. This is important because getting a professional will ensure that everything is done right. You also don’t want to end up with a faulty stairlift that could risk the life of your loved one.

Ramps And Railings

It is also significant to make sure your senior doesn’t have any stairs in their home. If they do, it’s best to install ramps or railings so that they don’t need to go up the stairs anymore.

This will ease many of their fears and allow them to continue living in the comfort of their own home. Ramps also come in handy for getting outside when you want to take a walk or get some fresh air. You can put these anywhere you like; inside or out! If there are steps leading outside, however, it may be best not to let your loved one go down them alone.

It isn’t safe for anyone who has trouble with balance. They could slip on the steps without railing support and fall. This can be especially dangerous because it could cause a head injury. Instead, get another family member or friend to help your loved one go out for fresh air whenever they want to.

Slip And Fall Prevention

Slips and falls are very common for seniors. This is why it’s important to get your loved one some kind of slip and fall prevention. They come in many forms, like special mats that can be put on slippery floors or even products like “stick-on” strips that keep your seniors from slipping when they get out of the bathtub.

Slips and falls are dangerous because it’s easy for someone with balance problems to get badly hurt. It’s also significant not to clutter up your floor with things like shoes, clothes, toys, or tools because it will only make the walkways more crowded and difficult for seniors to navigate without falling. This can result in injuries all over including head injuries, hip fractures, and more.

Extra Lighting

Lighting is also very significant when making your home safer. It’s best to make sure your senior doesn’t walk around at night alone. This is because it can be very dangerous for them to see where they are going.

Make sure there is good lighting in the bathroom and kitchen, this way they don’t have to turn on many lights when they go into those rooms at night, making for a safer environment all around.

Lighting is also very important for seniors who are afraid of the dark. They don’t have to sleep alone in a dark house anymore because you can leave one or two lights on in each room they go into at night. Of course, make sure it’s not too bright so that your loved one can still get some restful darkness before bedtime.

Lock And Key Features

Lock and key features are another way to make your senior’s home safer. These are great for seniors who have trouble getting around, but still, need to be able to get to places on their own when necessary.

Some features can lock doors from the outside so that if they ever slip or fall, they won’t be stuck in a room until someone comes along to help them out. This can be dangerous because it makes it easy for them to harm themselves while trying to get somewhere else. Home key safes are also very useful for people with memory issues.

They have the option of putting their access code into an electronic device that will memorize it, then automatically unlock the door when their loved one wants inside. This is beneficial because seniors with Alzheimer’s or dementia are not very good at remembering their access code, and it will help them.

Security Cameras

Next, you should consider setting up a home security system in your senior’s home. This will provide them with peace of mind knowing that there are cameras inside to watch their every move. This way, if they ever need anything while you aren’t home, they can just hit the emergency button on the system, and you will be alerted right away so that you can get help for them.

If your loved one has memory issues or trouble getting around, this is a very helpful feature to have in their home. One thing you should take into consideration when buying a security system is whether it will work outside or just inside the house. Seniors often go out into their yards during nice weather, so it’s important that any security system you buy works outdoors also.

Why do seniors require more care?

Seniors are more at risk of things that could happen to them. For instance, they can easily slip on a wet floor or fall down the stairs if they aren’t being watched very carefully.

That’s why it’s essential for them to have around-the-clock monitoring so that someone can be watching over them all day and night in case something has fallen out of place or is broken.

If you are the main caregiver of your senior family member, don’t feel bad asking for help—any good caregiver knows this isn’t an easy task, so it’s ok to ask others for their assistance. Caregiving is also hard work because it takes up most of your time and energy, but it will be worth it in the end when you see how much your loved one enjoys living in a safe environment.

So, there are many things you can do to make your senior homes safer for them. You just have to figure out which safety features will work best for your loved one. After all, everyone deserves a safe place to live in and that’s why you will be working so hard to make their home safer. Good luck!

Thank you for reading!