When a senior wants to stay in their home for as long as possible, this might be achievable, but it will depend on the specific needs of the senior family member.
However, it is actually a better idea for the senior to move out of their home and into yours in many cases. In this way, you can take care of them much better and ensure they are safe and secure at all times. If this is the option you want to try out, then you will probably have to make some changes to your home. Read on to find out what the most pressing changes are.
Table of Contents
Making Your Home Senior Friendly
Modify The Bathroom
One of the most hazardous places for an older person is the bathroom. Not only is it potentially slippery with many hard surfaces, but it is also somewhere that people will generally want to be alone for privacy and pride reasons. So an older person in a dangerous situation in a bathroom could be badly hurt. Often this is one of the reasons why it is better for seniors to move to a dedicated signature care homes, but if this is not feasible, you must make safety modifications to your bathroom.
Grab bars are one of the most important elements to add. These will enable your loved one to get in and out of the tub much more safely. You can also install them near the toilet to make sitting and standing easier and safer. There are also special toilets with arms that might work well.
If possible, invest in non-slip tiles for the floor, as this will prevent nasty slips and falls which could mean hospitalisation or long-term care for an elderly person due to being more frail with thinner bones.
Assess Their Bedroom
The bedroom might not seem like an area that needs a lot of time and attention given to it; you might even think of it as one of the safest rooms in your home. However, there are still dangers there that a senior might come across, so it’s wise to assess the room carefully before they move in.
One thing you’ll need to think about is the mattress. For an older person, the mattress should be firm, so if the one you currently have is sagging or too soft, it should be replaced so that it offers more support. Again, adding bars close to the bed for extra help is a good idea.
What kind of handle does your bedroom door have? If it’s a round knob, this could be hard for a senior to grip, and they might not be able to get in and out of the room very easily. It’s far better to use lever handles instead, as even if their grip is poor, they can still move the handle up and down.
Better Lighting
As people get older, their eyesight naturally deteriorates. This means that, even when someone knows a house or room very well, they might still easily trip over things or misstep. Apart from removing any potential trip hazards, it’s a good idea to install better lighting in your home to enable your loved one easy access to anywhere they want to go.
Some of the things to consider include:
- Replacing burnt out light bulbs
- Adding motion detector lights
- Adding brighter lighting so that even the darker corners are better lit
