Making the home safer

Most hazards around the home are obvious once you are made aware of them. But they are easily overlooked in the course of day-to-day living. Don’t let your loved one get injured because of a simple oversight! Here’s a home safety audit you can do yourself.

 

Lighting
In every room of the house, you want to be sure there is even light from the center and to all corners. Those little objects that cause a stumble frequently hide in the shadows. A common location for a fall is moving at night from the bedroom to the bathroom. Place nightlights along the path to light the way for sleepy eyes and a body in a hurry. Stairs and wet or icy walkways also pose extra dangers for a fall, so be especially sure to keep those areas well lit.

 

Floors
Remove all throw rugs if you can. Or put sticky tape on the underside to pin corners down and keep the rug from slipping. Keep pathways open and tidy. Pick up piles of paper, shoes, boxes, towels and trip hazards. Find alternate paths for cords and wires, or tape them down to the floor.

 

Stairs
Be sure to fix uneven or loose stairs. Handrails should be securely fastened to the wall.  The edge of the stairs should be painted a bright color with non-stick tread on the surface. If stairs are carpeted, be sure the carpet is securely nailed down.

 

Bathroom
Bathrooms are particularly dangerous as they combine hard and often wet and slippery surfaces. Be sure to use rubber-backed non-skid rugs and apply a non-skid mat or decals in the tub or shower floor. Grab bars by the shower and toilet are a must. And a toilet seat riser is a good idea if your loved one is at all unsteady rising up from a chair in the living room.

 

Would you like a home assessment?
We at Gentle Shepherd Hospice can spot a trip hazard the minute we walk into a room. It’s not rocket science, but you may simply be so used to your parent’s house, that you don’t notice. As the Roanoke and Lynchburg expert in aging well, we can help you identify the fixes needed to spare your loved one the consequences of a fall. Give us a call at 1-800-789-0586 (toll-free). We know home safety!