Four Critical Changes to Observe
During your visit to your loved one’s home, take note of any changes to the following:
- Housekeeping & Tidiness
- Diet
- Personal Hygiene & Cleanliness
- Attitude & Demeanor
It’s understandable if your loved one wants to stay in their home and maintain their independence. At a certain point, however, living arrangements may need to change for the sake of their safety and welfare.
If you’ve observed changes in your loved one, it doesn’t necessarily indicate that they need to move into a care community. In cases where housekeeping and meal preparation are a challenge, supportive services can be brought into the home. A cleaning service, meal delivery service, or a few hours of in-home care can help to meet those needs.
An Assist from Technology
There are many areas of the home that can be modified to keep your senior safe at home alone. There are also alert devices, panic buttons, and camera systems to keep tabs on them.
New to the market is Alexa Together, which is an interet AI that can provide companionship as well as urgent response and remote assistance.
Home Safety Checklist
- Access to a Phone
- Adequate Lighting & Access to Switches
- Floors Free of Trip Hazards
- Rooms with Too Much Furniture Making it Hard to Get Around
- Rooms too Cluttered
- Secure Flooring
- Hazardous Items Secure or Removed
We have created a checklist for you to print and take with you on your next visit. We tried to include everything, but you might want to add a few more items of your own. There is room to add items and take notes.
Risk of Falls
Falls are the leading cause of fatal and nonfatal injuries in seniors 65 and older. In fact, nearly a third of seniors fall each year, and the majority of the time, these falls occur in their homes. Decreased bone density and fragile skin makes it more difficult for seniors to recover from falls.
There are a number of steps that you can take to reduce the risk of your loved one suffering from a potentially devastating fall.
- Review Our Safety Check List Regularly
- Remove all Throw Rugs.
- Secure any Loose Flooring.
- Install Wall to Wall Carpeting or Safety Strips on Slippery Floors.
- Remove Excess Furniture that Causes Trip Hazards.
- Remove Anything Else that Creates a Trip Hazard.
- Install Grab Bars and Hand Rails Where Needed.
Other Resources
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