How to make your aging loved ones home senior friendly

As our loved ones age, we want them to maintain their independence as long as possible. Most seniors have lived in their homes for many years and the home may no longer be ideal for aging in place. In order to assure aging loved ones can live in their homes as long as possible, it is important to assure their homes are safe and senior friendly. Here are a few tips to make sure your aging loved ones home is properly equipped and maintained for years to come.

1. Eliminate all tripping hazards

According to the National Council on Aging, falls are the leading cause of fatal and non-fatal injuries for senior citizens in America. Falls threaten our aging loved ones’ safety and independence and can create huge debt by way of medical expenses. By the year 2020 the financial toll for older adult falls is expected to increase as the population ages and may reach $67.7 billion. Every 11 seconds, an older adult is treated in the emergency room for a fall; every 19 minutes, an older adult dies from a fall. Here are a few tips to keep your aging loved ones home as “trip safe” as possible.

• Doorways – make sure all entry ways and doorways have smooth transition from room to room. Some transitions may have a slight elevation which could be a serious tripping hazard. This is an easy fix; a simple threshold ramp is an easy addition that will allow seniors to easily transition from one room to the next.

• Throw Rugs – Throw rugs and area rugs are one of the leading causes of falls among seniors. When I first started out in the senior care industry over 10 years ago, I had several area rugs in my facility. I remember during a state survey the surveyor said, “those rugs are really nice, but do you really want them in here? It’s dangerous.” Unfortunately, I was young and naive at the time and kept the rugs in the facility and after a week or so I already had 3 trip incidents with residents. Needless to say, I removed all the rugs in the facility. Area rugs look great but the risk isn’t worth the reward. When making your aging loved ones home senior friendly- air on the safe side and remove the rugs.

• Customizing Bathrooms – According to News USA, Statistics say 80 percent of senior falls occur in the bathroom. Adding the necessary equipment in your aging loved ones bathroom to prevent them from falling is absolutely essential. Here are a few key items to add to your aging loved ones bathroom to keep them from falling.
  • Shower grab bars
  • Toilet grab bars
  • non slip bath tub floor mat
  • shower chair
  • extendable shower head
  • higher toilet or toilet seat extender (easier to get off)

2.  Disaster Plan

When preparing for your aging loved  one to age in place, it is essential that you have a disaster plan in place.  Imagine your aging loved one being at home alone during a record snow storm and you could not get to them; having a disaster plan in place would ease your mind. Here are a few key points to cover in your disaster plan.

• Water Plan – Keep several gallons of bottled water in the home in case there is an water shortage.
• Food Plan – Keep a weeks supply of non perishable foods in storage in the house.
• Power Plan – Have an Automatic Standby Generator installed in case of a power outrage. Generators can be over $2000; so if this is not an option be sure to have battery powered lights and heaters stored in the home.
• Medication Plan – Be sure to have ample supply of medication at all times in the home.

3. Bring in outside help

Just because your aging loved one lives at home does not mean they do not need help. There are several services you can bring in to assist your aging loved one. All of these services can be found on this website; simply enter City(or county) and State and the type of service in the search bar and reach out to the company directly.

• Home Care – Hiring a home care agency to come in and assist your aging loved one could prove to be a great decision and could ease your mind knowing a qualified care giver is there to help.
• Adult Daycare – Adult Daycare’s offer a social environment for your aging loved one with plenty of activities for them to enjoy.
• Delivery Pharmacies – Having a pharmacy that  delivers medications can be a huge relief to be assured your aging loved one has medications at all times.

In conclusion, having your aging loved one age in place can be stressful, but if you plan and take the necessary precaution, you will sleep easier at night. If you found this article helpful please share to your social media by clicking the link below.