Safety Checks – A Vital Way to Reduce Risks for Elders at Home

By Jane Glenn Haas

RISMEDIA, June 24, 2008-(MCT)-Mary Ann Goodman knows all about grab bars, throw rug dangers and junk-strewn homes. As an elder care consultant for LivHOME, a Newport Beach, Calif. -based senior care provider, she routinely surveys homes for hazards.

Keeping elders in their own home is her No. 1 goal. Falls are the number one safety risk for older adults, Goodman says, and most falls occur in the home.

“June is National Home Safety Month and because LivHOME is concerned about potential risks for seniors, we are offering to send one of our experts to do a home check at no charge,” she says.

Seniors and their families might want to do their own safety review. Home Instead Senior Care, which serves northern Orange County, Calif., suggests this checklist for senior homes:

- Examine dark pathways, corners and other areas where seniors regularly walk or read. Make sure all areas of the home have adequate lighting. Consider motion-sensor lights outdoors, and indoors use Ott Lights 7 bulbs, which provide a high intensity beam.
- Avoid monochromatic color schemes. Contrast can help seniors with failing eyesight better navigate their homes. Large red and blue buttons over hot and cold water faucet controls help prevent mistakes. A dark green or brown toilet seat and vinyl tape around the shower will make these fixtures more distinguishable.
- Look for ways to reorganize–from cupboards to the refrigerator.
- Look behind closed doors. Many seniors will close off part of the house they no longer use and these rooms should be routinely checked.
- Look for ways to simplify the senior’s life, from light-weight mops to grips instead of door knobs.
- Consider security. Lock-in switches on thermostats and stoves will keep seniors with dementia and Alzheimer’s from harming themselves.
- Watch for damage like towel bars pulling away or torn shower curtains. These might indicate the senior is grabbing on to fixtures in an effort to have stability.
- Make entries safe. Make sure railings into a home are in good repair and steps and sidewalks are not damaged. Consider eliminating steps altogether.
- Check for clutter. Messy conditions and broken items are important warning signs.

Goodman says grab bars are an important safety device for seniors “but they must be installed at the right height.”

“It’s also important to review all medications, prescriptions, over the counter meds, herbs and vitamins,” she says. “Check with the doctor or pharmacist if necessary.”

And she adds, “lots of times there’s just too much furniture in a room. If someone is walking slowly or using a walker, the room can become an obstacle course.”

She encourages families to use the free June home check because “keeping seniors at home-safely-is the goal.”

Real Estate Hot Topics

Profit Center: Real Estate Tips, Training & Events

RISMedia Solutions

RISMedia on the Go

Today's Featured Listing