LIFESTYLE
 My
youngest son is eight months old and into everything. At this
point, he’s clueless as to what could be dangerous,
so it’s my job to keep him protected from outlets and
stairs and everything infant-unfriendly. Happily, I can walk
into any store featuring a baby section and find at my fingertips
a plethora of goodies designed especially for baby-proofing.
That’s because the need for such products is a no-brainer:
you’ve got a crumb-snatcher, you give it a safe environment.
End of story.
It
isn’t always so easy—or so obvious—when
it comes to making a home safe for those at the opposite end
of the age spectrum, especially if they’re the ones
who have always taken care of you. But for senior citizens
who are struggling with issues such as decreased mobility
and weakened eyesight, day-to-day life in their own homes
can present a very real danger. “Elder proofing”
a home can make it significantly safer—and equally important—grant
caregivers some peace of mind. It can keep costs down too;
even extensive elder proofing is much cheaper than moving
to a retirement home. By taking a few precautionary measures,
you can make life more secure and much more manageable for
an aging loved one.
Safety from the ground up.
Even the softest fall can mean a broken bone. Consider the
length of the carpeting; is it a deep pile or shag that’s
easy for shuffling feet to get caught up in, or does it in
any way hinder the smooth progress of a walker or wheelchair?
Are area rugs prone to skidding, or thick enough at the edges
to trip over? Even if there’s no carpeting, a floor
can still be dangerous. Cleaners and waxes can make surfaces
slick, so before you use them on the entire floor, spot-test
them on a small area. Check all tiles to make sure that they’re
secure, and feel for “snaggy” spots on sidewalks
and driveways. Also see that furniture with sharp edges, such
as a table, is at a safe distance from the “path”
your elder uses to get from room to room. Move cords, tubes
from medical equipment, and curtain pulls so that they can’t
be tangled in or tripped over.
Shed some light
on the situation.
Adequate lighting is a necessity for independent seniors,
who often need three times more light than we do. Illuminated
light switches—preferably within easy reach at the entrance
of a room—eliminate the need to fumble in the darkness.
Skylights increase the light by approximately 30 percent and
can save on energy costs. Any area with steps should be well-lit
too, not to mention equipped with handrails. When you’re
illuminating stairs, ensure that the light is indirect and
doesn’t cast deceiving shadows or create an uncomfortable
glare, or you may be doing more harm than good.
Battleground: bathroom.
The bathroom can be a frustrating place for seniors. It’s
full of slipping hazards, hard edges, and faucets that are
hard to turn with arthritic hands. But you can easily make
it more senior-safe with a few adjustments. Walk-in bathtubs
and spacious showers with seats are a boon for those who can’t
lift their legs to step over the ledge of a tub. Rails and
grab bars in the immediate vicinity of the bath and toilet
provide a steady help up and down. In the bathtub, simple
push-button soap and shampoo dispensers make it unnecessary
to open bottles. Suction-cup baskets can hold other bathing
necessities; just be sure that everything is mounted at a
comfortable height so that the senior isn’t made to
reach up or bend down to access them. Single, lever-handled
faucets can be easier to grasp and reduce the risk of scalding
– but be sure that the water heater is set below 120
degrees. Once out of the tub, a timed heat lamp with automatic
shutoff (like the ones you often find in hotel bathrooms)
can help ward off the chill. Towels should be within easy
reach. Finally, make sure that the sink is at the proper level
(to avoid bending) and has enough clearance underneath it
for those in wheelchairs.
Solve kitchen conundrums.
Even if your loved one is no longer preparing his or her own
meals, the kitchen is still a frequently used area. The main
concern here is fire hazard, but you can install appliances
with programmable shutoff features to reduce the risk. (And
don’t forget to check smoke detectors regularly.) Dishes
and cups should be unbreakable and easily accessible. Bold,
easy-to-read labels, firmly affixed, can be helpful both to
seniors and to those caring for them; it saves having to hunt
an item down and clearly distinguishes what goes where. If
cleaning supplies or pesticides are stored somewhere in the
kitchen, separate them from food items—or better, relocate
them to the garage or another lower-traffic area.
Leave a list.
It’s a good idea to post a list of emergency and frequently
called numbers in a big, clear font beside each phone in the
house. In the event that the elder cannot get to the phone,
there are inexpensive alert systems designed to be worn at
all times in case of emergency. Another must-have for seniors
is a comprehensive list of medications to take with them to
doctor’s appointments, or to the hospital in an urgent
situation. The list should name each medication just as it
appears on the bottle, the dosage and number of times taken
each day, the prescribing doctor, and the expiration date,
and should be updated frequently to reflect current information.
By performing these relatively
simple modifications, you can make life more livable for elders.
Sites such as LiveOnNetwork
and Elder
Depot offer a variety of helpful items. Remember to discuss
changes with your loved one before making them, and ensure
that he or she knows how to use unfamiliar gadgets and is
comfortable with their surroundings. Some changes will be
more costly than others, but the safety of your senior—and
the peace of mind it can bring to a caregiver—is priceless.
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