Home Safety Tips for Seniors

Did you know that over 600,000 elderly Americans are treated in an emergency room due to accidents in their homes and falls are the #1 cause of fatal accidents for the elderly?

These alarming numbers can be reduced with simple changes and modifications that will make a home safer and more comfortable to live in.

When it comes to home safety, start from the floor and go up. • Everywhere you walk in your home needs to be free from clutter.• Stacks of newspapers and magazines can cause you to trip.

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Electrical cords that must be stepped over are very dangerous. • Throw rugs are notorious for causing falls – throw them out. • These are simple changes that may save you a trip to the hospital.

Lighting is another huge issue when it comes to home safety. • The best investment you can make is in those small night lights for your halls, bathrooms, bedrooms, stairways and closets. • You can now purchase night lights that are motion and light sensitive. • They will come on when you need it and help prevent falls.

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Bathrooms need to be user friendly. • Grab bars in the shower and bath tub will help tremendously. • Non-skid decals can be purchased very cheaply and placed in your shower or bath tub to help you keep from slipping. • And the older you get, the more sensitive your skin is to burns, so turn down your water heater to at least 120 degrees.

You can make your kitchen much safer just by avoiding the need to climb on a step stool. • Arrange the items you use often where they are easily accessible.• Keep all towels and curtains away from heat sources and make sure your appliance cords are in good shape. • Electrical fires are devastating.

If you have stairs inside or on the exterior of your home, make sure they are in good shape with adequate handrails to steady your climb. Adding some solar lights near the bottom of your entry steps can also make it much safer for you.

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You can obtain great check lists for home safety from your state’s Department of Aging websites or from AARP. These are great for making sure every inch of your home is as safe as possible.

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