Senior Safety

Four Essential Senior Safety Tips to Prevent Injuries

If you are providing elder care services for a loved one living at home, then you must know how to improve the environment so that your senior loved one doesn’t incur an injury. Here are some of the best senior safety tips.

Tip 1: Increase the Lighting

Most senior citizens begin to experience a decline in visual acuity, making it more likely that they won’t see an electrical cord on the floor or a toy left on the stairs by a pet or grandchild. While a senior citizen should have an eye examination so that they can begin wearing bifocals or change to a better prescription, older individuals find it more difficult to see without having brighter lighting in a home.

Tip 2: Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors

An important aspect of elder care is having smoke and carbon monoxide detectors in a home. It is important to remember that some senior citizens have a decline in their hearing. In addition to having detectors that will make a loud buzzing sound, you can also buy devices that have flashing lights when there is smoke, flames or poisonous gas. You should also consider having multiple detectors in various areas of a home.

Tip 3: Handrails in the Bathroom

The bathroom can become a dangerous place for an infirm senior citizen, and that is why an assisted living facility will have handrails in the bathroom. You can also have these devices in a home by looking for handrails that are easy to fasten to a bathtub, wall or next to a toilet. Having handrails in a bathroom makes it easier for an older individual to use the toilet and a bathtub without falling down.

Tip 4: Slip-resistant Flooring in a Home

When you are providing elder care for a relative, you should consider the installation of slip-resistant flooring materials, especially near the doorways, kitchen and bathrooms. If there are rugs on the floor, then use double-sided tape or tacks to attach the items to the floor. Make sure that the wall-to-wall carpeting in a home doesn’t have wrinkles that can lead to trip and fall injuries.