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By: Connie Hallquist
With just a small investment in time and a few dollars, you can make your home safer and more comfortable by following these do-it-yourself tips.
Simple Home Modifications That Go a Long Way
Any number of devices and/or space adjustments can go a long way toward helping your parent (and you) feel more secure and capable of coping with independent living. Here are 10 suggestions:
Fall Prevention Awareness: The Importance of Home Safety Steps
By: Peter Ross
Professional caregivers can safeguard seniors’ home to prevent falls and show you modifications to make in your own home for a safer senior visit.
Questions & Answers About Preventing Falls
To lower your risk of falling, use the answers to these questions to make your home safer and to know what to do in an emergency.
The Stairs Chair: Navigating Stairs Made Easy
By: Julie Davis
There are certain mobility issues that can’t be resolved just by using a cane or walker—notably navigating stairs. Unless the house is a ranch style, there is at least one flight of stairs—usually up to the bedroom—and quite possibly two, maybe down to a family room in the basement. Fall prevention or managing with bad knees often means avoiding stairs and that might even prompt a move to a single-story housing option. One home modification that could allow for aging in place is the installation of a stairs chair.
What Caregivers Can Do For Seniors. . For $500 or Less
Seniors overwhelmingly want to stay in their own home. While caregivers might think that adapting their environment to safely accomplish that goal will be expensive, it can be done within a reasonable budget.
Though too many people wait for a crisis, many safety improvements are simple and inexpensive and can prevent a crisis.
Questions to Ask Before Purchasing a Personal Emergency Response System
At one point in time, we have all heard someone mock the commercial with the woman who has fallen and can't get up. Put the mockery aside and you may find yourself in the market for a small product that's big on peace of mind. Even if your parent is currently in good physical and mental condition, she may still benefit from a personal emergency response system (PERS). PERS transmitters are relatively unobtrusive and are worn or carried by the owner.
When we have babies it's a no brainer — we secure cabinet handles, install protective gates and cover the outlets. But as we, and our parents, grow older we are often not as vigilant about home safety — until there's an accident, of course. Then we're in panic mode and may not be sure where to turn. It's OK — you're not alone — so many of us don't see the effects of growing older until there's a crisis. So if you're in that situation, take a deep breath. And if you have come to this article in the prevention stage, good for you! Read on.
Promoting Home Safety and Preventing Falls
For elders who want to continue living independently, home safety is essential. Among the home modifications that will help keep your parent safe, be sure to focus on those that help to prevent falls. As people age, their chance of falling increases significantly, and combined with medical conditions and medications, falls are even more likely. Falls are the number one cause of unintentional home injury death, reports the Home Safety Council, accounting for 5.1 million injuries and almost 6,000 deaths each year. The vast majority of these deaths are among people 65 and older — more men than women.
The bathroom can be a treacherous place, with so many hard surfaces and sharp corners. The National Aging in Place Council recommends certain modifications for making the three key elements in your home bathroom more senior friendly.
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