How Safe is Your Home?

Written by Robert H. Miller

This article courtesy of Mature Living magazine.

Although accidents are a major cause of death or injury among all age groups, the elderly are susceptible to certain types of accidents. Because most accidents involving the elderly occur at home, paying close attention to home safety will eliminate many problems before they occur. Age-related physical infirmities, such as less acute hearing, failing eyesight, and slower reflexes, along with other medical problems, increase the risk of accidental injury and the possibility of more serious complications. With a little effort and planning, you can make your home more comfortable as well as safer.

Start by making your home brighter. Adequate lighting will greatly reduce the chance of accidents. Plenty of light, especially around stairs and hallways, will ensure hazards can be seen before they cause serious falls. Use the brightest bulbs safely allowed in your light fixtures, and don’t forget to place night-lights in wall sockets to illuminate rooms and hallways during the evening hours. A fall could easily occur while crossing a room to turn on a light. Use illuminated switches to make them more visible and easily accessible in the dark.

Falls in the home are the leading causes of accidental deaths among people over 65 years of age. Remove all clutter from the floor, such as toys left by grandchildren. Replace worn and loose rugs. Put away trailing extension cords. Boots or shoes should be kept in proper closet spaces. Avoid throw rugs and low coffee tables that might be easily tripped over. Reinforce wobbly banisters and check that all stairways have proper handrails. Mark the edges of wooden stairs with textured tape. This signals the edge of the stair and provides an abrasive surface, which prevents slipping.

If an elderly person does fall, the outcome could be much more serious if he or she is left unattended for more than an hour. An alarm device could be a lifesaver, especially if the senior lives alone. These alarms are usually activated by a push button that sends a distress signal via telephone. They are worn as a necklace or bracelet and are well worth the investment.

Most falls occur in the bathroom. Yet this is one of the easiest rooms in the house to install safety devices that make everyday living safer for the elderly. Install grab bars on the wall behind the toilet, in the shower stall, and against the wall directly over the bathtub. Place a molded seat in the bathtub and a fold-up bench seat against the wall of the shower stall. Use a handheld showerhead in the stall; it can be manipulated while sitting down on the fold-up bench seat. Install guardrails on both sides of the toilet and a sliding guardrail on the side of the bathtub. Use nonslip mats in the bathtub. Include nonslip rubber flooring throughout the bathroom.

Because sensitivity to temperature declines with age, water temperature should be controlled throughout the home. To avoid being scalded, consider using a special thermometer to test water before entering the bathtub. Check that thermostats on water heaters are set appropriately.

Seniors suffering from arthritis can purchase specially designed kitchen tools with modified handles. These handles make the everyday handling of these tools a lot easier. Replace round doorknobs with lever handles to simplify opening doors.

Reduce the risk of accidents by taking a few simple precautions that will give you more peace of mind. Walk through your home looking for places where an accident can happen. Have your gas and electrical systems serviced regularly and have several fire extinguishers placed strategically around your home. Test your smoke detectors and make sure a smoke detector is installed on each level of your home. In order for them to be effective, they have to be installed in areas recommended by the manufacturers, such as outside bedrooms and in the kitchen area.

Should you become ill, less nimble, or have visitors who are in any way handicapped, you will be prepared. A safe home is a happy home.

Robert H. Miller is retired from the Canadian Armed Forces and lives in Cold Lake, Alberta, Canada. His hobbies are woodworking and gardening.

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