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Safety
First
By Anneliese
Stoever, Caring Workplace,
St. Andrew's At-Home Services
 Growing
up you often hear the phrase “Safety First.”
This phrase is of special importance for older adults.
As people age, they sometimes lose sensation in their feet, lose
vision acuity, lose strength, and lose their ability to grip.
These health changes affect senior’s safety in the home—over
33 percent of those over 65 fall each year, with that number increasing
to 50 percent by age eighty.
There are a number of precautionary measures families can take to
reduce the risk of an older adult falling.
In the Kitchen:
- To prevent burns, there are lever-type
faucets or faucets with a single lever to control flow and
temperature. This can prevent an older adult from being burned.
These levers are fairly inexpensive and can be bought at a local
hardware store.
- To reduce the risk of falling while
trying to reach a cabinet that is too high or while trying to pull
something out of a cabinet that is too low, install pullout shelves
under the counter to enable the older adult to work from a seated
position or keep items within easy reach, and lower existing
cupboards so that they are not out of reach.
In the Bedroom:
-
To prevent falling
while walking to the bathroom at night, a nightlight is an inexpensive
item that will provide a lighted path. A lamp should be located close to
the bed in an easy to reach area and a flashlight should be kept on a
bed stand in case of a power failure. Also, make sure there is a clear
path from the bed to the bathroom.
-
In case of a health concern during
the night, keep a charged phone near the bed and if the area does not
have a 9-1-1 service, keep a list of important contacts, such as the
police and fire department, near the phone. Make sure the numbers are
large enough for the older adult to decipher at the time of an
emergency.
In the Bathroom:
-
For ease in
transitioning, install a grab bar near the toilet, in the bathtub, and
near a chair if there is one.
-
Also, use a rubber mat inside the
bathtub and invest in a shower chair or bathtub seat.
-
Bathrooms are
not known for being well lit. Installing extra lighting can prevent
miscalculating distance to a grab bar or the bathtub and may prevent a
fall.
In General:
-
Throw rugs and other floor
decorations are very hazardous to older adults. It is easy to trip on
the side of a rug if an older adult either does not see it or shuffles
and does not lift their leg high enough to step onto it.
-
Look around
the home for extension cords, lamp cords, dog leashes, or other items
that impede the pathway.
-
Make sure that each stairway has a railing.
Be sure to look at stairs to the backyard, stairs to the basement, and
stairs to an attic or another floor. Have a conversation with the older
adult about the importance of walking without items in their hands and
holding onto the railing.
-
Good lighting can be the difference between
seeing a stair or falling. Make sure that the home is well lit and that
the older adult uses sufficient lighting in the home.
While these suggestions are a good start
in helping to ensure the safety of an older adult, each situation is
unique and requires different adjustment. A home assessment by an Elder
Care Specialist would offer a solution catered to your specific needs.
Just remember to keep in mind, "Safety First"!
St.
Andrew’s At-Home Services helps to serve the needs of older adults and
their families in the comfort of their home, including housekeeping,
transportation, meal preparation, personal care, nursing services and
companionship. For more
information, please call (314) 726-5766 or visit them at www.silverselect.com.
St. Andrew’s At-Home Services is a not-for profit division of
St. Andrew’s Resources for Seniors, an Episcopal-Presbyterian
organization serving older adults and their families since 1961.
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