Creating a Safe and Comfortable Home for Seniors
When you love someone, you worry about their safety. Such is the case for our loved ones who wish to age in place. Fortunately, fostering our loved one's independence and protecting them from household dangers can easily go hand in hand.
Safely Aging in Place
The decision to age in place has been a common one for many years. According to the American Association of Retired Persons, 77% of people aged 50 or older would prefer to stay at home, or in the home of a loved one, for as long as possible. There are many reasons for this preference. Aging in place promotes the seniors' independence; it allows them to remain in a familiar and meaningful environment while continuing to engage with the community they've long known, and the act of enjoying a personal space can be empowering.
However, certain obstacles may come with aging in place, especially for those who experience challenges with mobility and balance. Use the following suggestions to better understand how you can modify your loved one's home so they can maintain their independence and dignity while aging in place.
How to Create a Safe and Comfortable Environment for Seniors
Making changes to your home or your loved one's is important to ensure the space remains safe and comfortable for your loved one. You can do numerous things, both inside and outside the home, to provide a secure environment.
Keep Tidy
Regular cleaning is important for making sure the rooms and hallways are free of clutter. A weekly tidying session can do wonders for removing fall and struck hazards. It can also create a more harmonious environment, helping your loved one feel secure and at peace.
Replace Standard Doorknobs With Lever Handles
Standard round doorknobs can become challenging for seniors as they age, as they may lack the grip strength to grasp and turn them easily. Help your loved one maintain their comfort and independence by replacing round doorknobs with easier-to-turn levers.
Install Raised or High-Profile Toilet Seats
Taller toilet seats are safer because they reduce the motion needed to sit and rise. Transitions become easier and gentler, decreasing the risk of dizziness and disorientation upon standing.
Eliminate Trip Hazards
When assessing your loved one's home for safety, pay close attention to potential trip hazards such as bulky furniture and electrical cords, aiming to create pathways at least 34 inches wide. While accent rugs enhance a room's ambiance, they can be slippery on hard surfaces. Instead of removing them, consider using carpet tape and rug pads to secure them. For added safety in wet areas, install no-slip strips in bathtubs and showers. If the home has hardwood stairs, nonskid treads can provide essential traction, and they're also useful for outdoor steps. Lastly, opt for nonslip wax on hardwood floors and decks to maintain their beauty without compromising safety.
How Visiting Angels Can Ensure Your Loved One's Safety
At Visiting Angels Spokane, your loved one's safety is both a priority and a specialty. Our talented caregivers are not only trained in the best practices for senior safety; they also undergo frequent training to stay up to date on ideas that ensure the physical well-being of the people they serve. Our services are designed to provide your loved one with the compassionate care and support they need to maintain their well-being and quality of life, and include:
Companion Care
With the Visiting Angels elderly companion care program, our caregivers keep your loved one safe by providing mobility assistance, applying direct fall-prevention strategies, and creating a tidy space free of obstacles that may lead to falls.
Personal care
In addition to mobility assistance, our personal and private duty care program can protect seniors by offering support with activities that may lead to falls, such as dressing, bathing, toileting, and running errands.
Transitional care
Returning home after a stay in the hospital, a senior may be at higher risk of injury because of their physical condition and missed medications. We've designed our Ready-Set-Go Home transitional care program to prevent injuries and readmission with comprehensive wraparound support that begins even before your loved one is discharged from the hospital.
Dementia and Alzheimer's care
Seniors living with either of these complex diseases may experience challenges with balance, mobility, and muscle strength, which may put them at elevated risk of injuries. Our dementia care and Alzheimer's care programs can help by providing close client monitoring, mobility assistance, and housekeeping duties that clear the home of physical hurdles.
Get in Touch With Visiting Angels Spokane Today
We encourage you to reach out to Visiting Angels Spokane today. When you take the first step, we'll take the next one by setting up a free at-home consultation to assess your loved one's unique needs and lifestyle preferences. Our assessment forms the basis of the personalized and customizable care plan we create, with the precise services we feel can best help your loved one age comfortably and securely in place.