If you are getting closer to your twilight years, or you have parents that are elderly then you should be looking at some renovations. A home is supposed to be your safe space, but age can make an otherwise safe home a bit of an obstacle course.
Just as you have to make adjustments to a house when a baby arrives, you also have to do the same for advancing age. Whether it is to make it more easily accessible or to remove dangerous components, you need to take a critical eye to the house.
In this article, I will give you some advice on how to make the house a safe and secure haven for any elderly person to enjoy.
Take care of the stairs
Falls are the most common injury when people get older. And it’s because of these falls that a person can end up having to leave their home and independence behind. Take some time to make the house safer and less prone to cause falls by starting with the stairs.
You don’t necessarily need to install an elevator, but you can still set up your stairs for safety. For instance, there are seats that can be lifted along the railing of the stairs and often can be acquired with grants or even Medicare allowances.
If you don’t qualify or don’t have space for it, then even something as simple as stair runners can increase safety. Slips often happen on slick stairs so this gives good footing.
Think of a bidet
Hygiene is quite an issue for elderly people. And it can even be dangerous as well as uncomfortable to use the toilet. Often, falls can happen when people try to wipe so it pays to have a bidet seat for elderly people.
The way it works is that it is a self-contained seat that attaches to any toilet. It then sprays water to clean you up without needing to use your hands. Some are electric and can heat the seat as well as the water. And drying off is simple with an air dryer so it is as simple as standing up when you are done and dry. When people feel that they are able to take care of their basic needs they feel that they are still independent. Not only that, but they are able to stay independent longer since they are also safer.
Keep things low
Having to reach for things above their head can make people lose their balance and fall. Likewise, if they have to get up on a step stool or ladder to reach things.
One area where this happens frequently is in the kitchen. Pots and pans and other common items should be kept in cabinets at the ground level and not overhead. This will prevent a lot of falls as well as any risk of throwing out aback.
Closets should also be rearranged so that there is nothing in the way of getting the things they need. Then, bring things to where they are easily accessible.
