If you’re worrying about the safety of your aging parents in their own home, then you’re probably not alone. Your siblings, your cousins, even your parents might be worrying about their safety as they get older. As we get to that late stage of life we become more vulnerable, so understanding your parents limitations is important. Being able to adapt to their home and enhance their well-being is just as important as having medical transport where necessary.
Knowing that you can install panic buttons or contact buttons around their home and if they fall or have an issue and they can get medical transport to and from hospital, it might make you feel better. It will certainly help them and their long term prospects to know that you are doing what you can to make their home safe. From the bathroom to using smart home integration, there are plenty of practical solutions that can address common challenges that are faced by seniors. If you’re panicking about your parents, then let’s take a look at some of the home modifications that you can make for them as they age safely at home.
- Bathroom safety enhancements. For seniors the bathroom is a danger zone. Slippery floors, challenging movements, and hard surfaces do not make a safe bathroom. There are so many things that you can do to enhance the bathroom though, so that it’s a much safer place for them to be. You can install grab bars near the toilet, shower and tub to offer them some critical support as they need it. Installing a waterproof panic button in this room is a great idea in case of any falls. These can help with those daily tasks and offer them that chance for more independence. If you want to go one better, change the whole bathroom into a walk in a wet room so that there is no confined space for them to have to bathe or shower in. You can install a shower into the room and have a chair in there so that they can sit and be able to get clean without having to worry.
- Upgrading their lighting. Whether your parents wear glasses or not is irrelevant. As we age, our eyes need more light to see and poor visibility can lead to accidents. You can increase overall illumination by replacing any of those low wattage bulbs with LED bulbs for energy efficiency. You can install motion sensor lights in hallways, stairs and any outdoor areas so that they don’t have to try and fumble for a light switch. Through the kitchen and the bathroom, or even in the living room, you can add task lighting so that where detailed activities occur, your parents will be able to see. You can even upgrade the fixtures across the home for glare free lighting fixtures so that you can reduce their potential for eye strain and improve their visibility.
- Make the space more accessible. From lowering down the countertops in the kitchen to ensuring that you have pull out shelves installed, you can make the kitchen and the rest of the home a more accessible place to be. The kitchen is often the heart of the home, but it can present a lot of challenges for aging parents. Under cabinet lighting is one of those lighting options you could upgrade to on your parents property. It will help to improve visibility for food preparation and it will reduce eye strain for them.
- Widen the doorways and the hallways. If your parents are in wheelchairs, making their home more accessible for them to move around in is a smart idea for seniors with limited mobility. Narrow doorways can feel like an obstacle course and you don’t want them to trip over a door frame because they don’t have the spatial awareness to realise how wide they really are. When you widen the doorways, you’ll be able to make them easier for walkers or wheelchairs to navigate. Expanding the hallways is going to do the same thing.If you want to create a better flow then make a point of removing any unnecessary doors and just installing pocket doors. These are a great alternative to traditional swinging doors through the home.
Update the flooring. If the flooring has tiles that are peeling back or any cracks, then these can become trip hazards. Removing and securing any rugs is a good plan because loose rugs are also trip hazards. Removing them entirely so that they don’t have to worry about cleaning them is a much better idea than securing them with double sided tape in some cases. Ensure smooth transition too, with no abrupt changes in floor height between rooms.
- Make the bedroom a safe haven. If you want to help your parents to move around easily in their home, then make the bedroom an accessible safe haven for comfort and independence. You can ensure this happens by adjusting the bed height and installing bed rails, and if they need one, a bedside commode can also be installed. It’s a convenient option so that there are no accidents between going to bed and going to the bathroom.
- Upgrade the house to a smart home. Technology, especially voice activated technology, is a powerful tool in creating a safer home environment. Smart bulbs can be controlled via a smartphone or even voice commands to ensure adequate lighting as needed. Video doorbells will allow your parents to see and communicate with any visitors without having to open the door, especially if they’re not expecting anybody or if there is dementia as a factor. You can use full detection devices that will alert emergency services if necessary, and wearable devices such as panic buttons around the neck can also help.
- Modifying the garden. The outdoor access points of your parents house need to be modified just as the inside needs to be. The entryway, for example, can present a challenge for seniors, so installing ramps and replacing any steps are better for easier access. You can add hand rails that are sturdy on either side of these ramps too. When you improve the lighting to light the area and create a covered entryway, you’ll be able to protect them from any slip hazards too. Some people can struggle with the three steps that lead up to the front door, but after installing a gentle ramp, you might find them a lot more independent and happier as a result.
- Make the stairways safer. Stairs are very dangerous for seniors but not every senior has the luxury of living in a bungalow. You can make it much safer by installing a stair lift or a chair lift in the home. These are game changers for those with mobility issues. Non slip treads on every step can also provide better traction and reduce slipping, and adding banisters and rails up the stairs can help to steady themselves as they go.
It’s so important that you choose home modifications that work for your specific parents. What they may not need right now, they could need in a year or so, so assess the situation by looking ahead. Once you make these upgrades, they will be very happy and thankful to spend longer in their own home before they have to have any additional care or move to a facility.Keeping your parents independent is the goal, so start there and move forward as things change.
Meg is an author at Cinnamon Hollow. She writes on a variety of topics sharing tips and ideas for daily life.
