In-Home Care Safety Tips for Seniors
Senior Safety: In-Home Care Culver City CA
According to recent research for the National Institute on Aging, 5.4 million elderly Americans aged 71 and older, or roughly 22% of the population, have symptoms of cognitive decline. Although the issue may not be serious enough to prevent them from carrying out their everyday tasks, it may make those tasks difficult to complete or cause issues with judgment. It’s important for loved ones to explore options, such as in-home care, to ensure seniors are safe in their homes as these changes occur.
Keep reading to learn more about steps to take to improve safety for seniors in the home.
- Steps to Take to Reduce Falls
- Remove clutter in hallways and walking paths
- Remove rugs that might be tripping hazards
- Install handrails in bathrooms or on stairs
- Increase lighting to ensure a brighter footpath
- Ensure seniors receive annual hearing and vision tests
- Encourage seniors to have consistent physical activity
In-home care can assist in ensuring that seniors have physical activity throughout the day and assess for issues in the home that might cause harm. Home care providers have the added benefit of monitoring seniors daily to see which safety measures are essential for the home.
Safety in the Kitchen
As seniors age, one of the biggest concerns for loved ones is their ability to cook safely. Issues with age-related memory loss or dementia may result in kitchen mishaps, such as a fire from not turning off the stove.
Adding in-home care for seniors helps eliminate this concern as home care providers can monitor seniors while cooking, assist them when cooking, or by cooking themselves. If seniors have limited mobility and cannot grocery shop for themselves, home care professionals can help them use grocery delivery options or by completing the shopping.
Kitchen safety tips for seniors include the following:
- Properly working smoke detectors
- Easy access to fire extinguishers
- Avoiding loose clothing while cooking
- Cleaning up spills right away – this includes grease spilled on the stove
Many kitchen appliances offer fail-proof cooking, allowing seniors to cook more safely than using the stove. These include air fryers, countertop convection ovens, and microwaves.
General Home Safety Tips
Loved ones are often concerned when seniors live alone. To help alleviate some of this stress, talk with an in-home care specialist about options for support. Elder care professionals can help enhance seniors’ day-to-day activities by improving socialization, physical activity, and the task listed above. In addition, to having an in-home care provider, consider the following changes to the home for increased safety.
- Make sure the house numbers are visible from the street
- Set a timer for lights
- Provide a neighbor with a spare key
- Consider installing deadbolts
- Talk with seniors about possible concerns and create a safety plan – this includes not letting strangers in the home
- Consider installing a security system
Invest in a system that allows seniors to alert emergency responders if they need help. It is important to allow seniors to be involved in safety planning. If they feel excluded, they may resent the assistance and continue doing things as they’ve always done.
Ensuring seniors are secure at home is more crucial than ever as an increasing proportion of seniors are aging in place. The most frequent mishaps involving seniors include falls, burns, and poisonings. Working as a team, in-home care providers can help seniors and loved ones feel safe.
If you or an aging loved one are considering hiring In-Home Care in Culver City, CA, please contact the caring staff at Home Care Help. Serving All of Los Angeles County. Call Us Today at (888) 989-7388.
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