5 Tips for Keeping Seniors Safe At Home

Increasingly, more seniors are opting to live at home as this environment allows them to enjoy the independence, comfort, and security they are used to. Whether older adults choose to live alone or with loved ones, the home environment needs to be modified for their safety and unique needs. Here are five tips for keeping seniors safe at home.

5 Tips for Keeping Seniors Safe At Home

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1. Remove Slip, Trip, And Fall Hazards

Trip and fall accidents are the leading cause of fatal and non-fatal injuries in older adults. The best way to minimize these risks is by making the home slip, trip, and fall-safe by:

  • Creating an open environment for better maneuverability
  • Removing throw rugs and sticking to non-slip mats and flooring solutions
  • Keeping the home clutter-free and ensuring there are no stretching electrical cords, ropes, or wires
  • Installing bathroom grab bars and non-slip mats
  • Installing stair rails and non-slip treads

Besides all these home improvements, you will also need to invest in fall detection devices to help seniors live independently. These devices come in handy in case of an emergency as they offer help at the push of a button, thus ensuring your loved ones are always safe.

2. Improve Home Lighting

Any home where seniors live requires better lighting as older adults have poor eyesight, which affects how easily they can move about. Among the lighting upgrades you can opt for are:

  • Adjusting light switches for easy reach
  • Setting up motion-detecting lights in strategic locations
  • Use brighter bulbs that do not leave dark spots in a room

3. Provide Easy Seating

Seniors are no longer as strong as they used to be and regularly need a place to sit as they go about their daily duties. Accessible seating solutions are an excellent way of taking the strain off older adults as they move around. Some of the easy seating options seniors need are:

  • Kitchen and shower stools
  • Raised toilet seats with handlebars
  • Outdoor bench

4. Beware Of Fire And Electricity Hazards

You need to protect older adults against fire and electricity hazards at home to avoid the risks of electrical shock, first-degree burns, or carbon monoxide poisoning that can be fatal. The best practices for doing this include:

  • Ensuring the home has working smoke detectors
  • Replacing damaged electrical cords
  • Have easy to use fire extinguishers in the kitchen and common rooms
  • Restrict use of space heaters and have them placed at least 3 feet away from flammable items
  • Avoid having overloaded electrical outlets and unplug all unused devices

5. Burglar-Proof Your Home

Seniors at home face not only the risk of accidental harm incidents but also attacks and abuse from other persons. The best way to prevent these risks is to burglar-proof your home by:

  • Keeping windows and doors locked at all times
  • Setting up a home security system
  • Avoiding letting strangers into the home
  • Having a trusted caregiver check on the older adults, especially if they have medical conditions such as dementia or Alzheimer’s disease.
    5 Tips for Keeping Seniors Safe At Home

Endnote

The first step for taking care of your elderly loved ones is focusing on their safety. These tips will help you prevent most accidents by creating a better living environment for seniors at home.

Team PainAssist
Team PainAssist
Written, Edited or Reviewed By: Team PainAssist, Pain Assist Inc. This article does not provide medical advice. See disclaimer
Last Modified On:September 28, 2022

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