Effective Ways To Make Your Home Safer For Ageing Family Members

Making sure older individuals are secure at home is important to maintain their quality of life. Preventing the risk of injuries and deaths at home among ageing family members is key to their long and fulfilling life at home.

Here are a few smart ways to make your home safer for them to live in. Take a look.

1. Install enough lights

According to a study, older adults are at a higher risk of falling from stairs, getting tangled in electric wires, or losing balance due to loose rugs in the presence of poor or insufficient lighting. [1] Therefore, if you are living with an elderly person, it is important to install enough lights for their convenience. Also, some older adults have eye and mobility-related issues that cause them problems in seeing things and moving, thus leading them to accidents.

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2. Bathroom essentials

Provide grab bars in the bathroom as aged legs and knees may find it difficult to sit down and stand up from the seat. Install a higher toilet seat and put the hinges on the door that opens outward rather than inside, giving your family more room to move around in the bathroom's constrained space. Also, make sure that the floor is not slippery and is dry most of the time.

3. Larger corridors and doors

If you have elderly parents who use wheelchairs, make sure the doorways are at least 32-34 inches wide and the corridors are 42 inches wide. Even if the elderly does not currently have mobility problems, it is a good idea to be ready for the future challenges. Eliminate doorway thresholds wherever you can, as they may cause tripping hazards.

4. Easier entrances

Old doorknobs may get rusted and can cause difficulties in opening. If the doors in your home have old and rusted doorknobs, replace them with modern and new ones. Also, replacing the doorknobs with levers could be a good idea, as they are simpler for elderly parents to use. In the case of glass sliding doors, make sure they are easy to open and are lightweight.

5. Eliminate stairs

Architect the home for your elderly parent in such a way that most of the areas are on one level. Try to eliminate the steps as much as possible. If it cannot be avoided, remodel the house and add a bathroom and sleeping space on the first floor. A stair lift can also be an alternative as per the comfort of your family members.

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6. Avoid the rugs

If there are rugs on the floor in their space of movement, try to remove them all, if feasible. If the rugs cannot be removed, make sure their edges are tightly secured to prevent trips. Make plenty of space for their free movement. Don't forget to install some of the indoor plants that help cheer them and detox the house.

To Conclude

Always remember that prevention is better than cure. Elderly are vulnerable and it is always better to make some adjustments at home to make them comfortable