Keeping Elderly Parents Safe in Their Own Home
Keeping elderly parents safe in their own home
These days an increasing number of people are living into their eighties or beyond, so many of us will be involved in supporting elderly parents.
As people become frailer there are practical things we can do to keep them safely in their own home for as long as possible. Those mentioned below are based on personal experience from supporting my own parents for several years.
- Remove any trip hazards – preferably have fitted carpets rather than loose rugs, to reduce the likelihood of falls, which are a leading cause of elderly people being admitted to hospital.
- Get a cordless telephone so it can be conveniently within reach; a cordless lightweight kettle is also a good idea.
- Ensure bathroom and toilet doors open outwards so that if anyone has an accident it is possible to get into the room and provide assistance. If necessary get the door re-hung. There were two incidents when these outward opening doors were essential for reaching my father when he had fallen and couldn’t get up again unaided.
- If cooking is becoming a problem, consider ordering meals from Wiltshire Farm Foods or similar companies as these only need to be reheated but are widely considered to be much tastier than local council meals on wheels. There are suitable meals for a range of dietary requirements and if you don’t already have a microwave they will loan you equipment for reheating meals.
- If mobility problems make it difficult to answer the front door, get an intercom system fitted and have the equipment beside your chair or wherever is most convenient. This will avoid possible falls as someone hurries to answer the bell and proved to be one of the most useful adaptations made to keep my parents safe at home.
- Make sure light switches are easily accessible so that people are not trying to walk across dark rooms and in danger of colliding with furniture.
- Get a gripper ( long handled “claw”) which can pick things up from the floor (eg mail, magazines or newspapers) or move them to a more convenient place.
- Consider replacing a gas stove with an electric one to avoid accidents with leaving gas switched on by mistake. This is a more major change but well worth considering if someone is becoming forgetful or confused.
- If climbing stairs is becoming a struggle, get an extra rail fitted so people can hold on to something at both sides to give them more support.
Most of the above suggestions are inexpensive and some of the minor modifications might be available through your Social Services Department at little or no charge.
It is also worth contacting Age UK (Age Concern and Help the Aged have recently merged under this new name) for their advice and support.
The above pointers suggest what can be done initially to keep elderly parents safe in their own home, but we need to remain alert as to what other modifications might be needed as their situation changes. However, these will be the subject of another article.
Useful websites: Wiltshire farm Foods www.wiltshirefarmfoods.com
Age UK (merger of Age Concern & Help the Aged) www.ageuk.org.uk
This content was provided by one of our users, Barbgreen
