As your parents age, you worry about them more. However, moving your parents into a nursing home or assisted living facility isn’t always the answer. Many seniors are perfectly capable of living on their own — with a few adjustments to their home and lifestyle. Use these tips to make your ageing parent’s’ home safe.

  1. Install a Stair Lift

For many seniors stairs present a problem. Not only is it harder for seniors to get around, those with back and/or knee problems have a really hard time navigating stairs on their own. Also, if your mom or dad uses a walker or cane to maintain stability while walking, going up and down stairs without assistance probably isn’t a good idea. Consider installing an EasyClimber stair lift in the house so your parents can go up and down the stairs safely.

  1. Get Rid of the Clutter

It’s common for seniors to obtain injuries from slip and fall accidents, so you need to make sure there isn’t anything in your parent’s house that makes navigation difficult. This means it’s time to get rid of the clutter

  • *Make sure nothing is sitting on the floor.
  • *Remove coffee and end tables from the home that obstruct walking paths.
  • *Re-route extension and power cords so they are up against the baseboards.
  • *Remove rugs from the home — they can curl up on the end, posing a fall hazard.

Additionally, you should remove excess knick knacks from the house, especially if they are displayed in hard-to-reach places. It’s easy for seniors to slip while reaching for objects.

  1. Install Safety Rails in the Bathroom
ALSO READ  Why Local Search Is So Important

Safety rails give your parents something to hold onto to keep them stable while in the bathroom — a must if the floor is slippery. Install a safety rail in the shower and one by the toilet. You should also consider purchasing a shower stool and removable shower head so that your parent can sit down to shower. Additionally, make sure you put a non-slip mat or stickers in the bottom of the shower or tub and a non-slip mat underneath the bath mat to keep it from slipping.

  1. Purchase a Medical Alert Pendant

If you aren’t moving your parents into your home, you should consider getting a medical alert pendant.These pendants are a must for any senior living at alone. The pendant is worn around the neck — on a long chain that makes it easy to slip the pendant underneath the shirt. It has a button on it that, when pushed, connects the wearer to emergency personnel. So if your parent has a fall, or can’t get up, a touch of the button alerts the medics. You can’t be there 24 hours per day. A medical alert pendant could save your parent’s life.

  1. Organize Any Medications Taken Regularly

Many seniors have a plethora of pills that they take on a daily basis — some of which need to be taken at specific times during the day. To make sure your parents take the right pills at the right time, purchase medication organizers with the days of the week clearly labeled on them. Each week, sort the pills and put them in their proper spot, so all your mom and/or dad needs to do is open the section for the day and take the medication.

ALSO READ  How can you save to make your dream car a reality?

Unless you move into your parent’s house, it’s impossible for you to be there all of the time. Instead of insisting your parents move into an assisted living facility, take the time to make sure their home is safe and secure.