Help the Elderly Stay in Their Homes

We all know we need to provide protection and safety for the youngest members of the home. However, have you considered modifications for the older generation that may need more protection now that they are frail or unwell?

Often times the first thought when a loved one becomes frailer is to place them in a nursing home. However, with things like home health care it is possible for your loved one to stay in their home or yours more simply. This is perfect in many cases as it lowers the cost of care and keeps them close, as they get older.

Bathrooms

In order to keep them safe there are a few areas of the home that may need tweaking a bit. Take for instance the bathroom, traditional showers and tubs can be hard and downright dangerous for someone is not in the best of health. One slip in the tub can equal a broken hip or worse. This is easily modified by a seat in the tub or in more extreme cases by adding a walk in tub.

It is also important to make sure the flooring is non-slip and that all necessary items are reachable. You do not want an aging loved one stretching high or bending low to reach essential items.

Bedrooms

Some homes may have staircases that are difficult for the elderly to transverse. This can be fixed in one of two ways, a stair lift or eliminating the need for them to go up or down the stairs. A stair lift is quite easily installed however; of you are renting or not ready to make that big of a change there is the other alternative.

Create a bedroom that is on the bottom floor of your home. Most homes have at least on room on the lower level that functions as a bedroom. If not it is an easy matter to convert a den or other similar sized room into a functional bedroom.

Steps

Outside steps can be especially treacherous particularly in bad weather. Eliminate the potential danger by having a ramp for wheel chairs installed or a basic handrail if a wheelchair is not used. A handrail will give them the added stability they need to get in and out of the house.

Failing Sight

When a person ages one of the effects can be failing eyesight. This makes any home a dangerous place. To alleviate some of the danger you can install high contrast signs that clearly label cabinets with food, from those with chemicals ECT... It is also a good idea to keep things in a constant position, in other words keep the bread and coffee in the same place all the time, same goes for medications.

Medications

The elderly are also prone to forgetfulness, they may take their medication then a little while later forget and take it again. This is a potentially fatal mistake so to prevent this from happening if your loved one is forgetful either install a simple hasp and lock on the medicine cabinet or purchase a special box that you can keep out of harm's way, it is probably a good idea to lock this as well.

Conclusion

The longer the elderly can stay at home the better, many become depressed in nursing homes and they do not always receive the best care. With a few modifications, they can stay home longer and be much happier.

Sylvia Kittens lives in Harrogate, England