Safety Home Precautions for Elders

Filial love is defined as the love that a child holds for its parents and it is this same emotion that causes people to care for their parents regardless of how much time passes and this holds true for everyone even for the elderly in homecare.  Love is also one of the reasons why humans look out for family especially when they are sick or even when they are simply older and wiser!

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Elderly in homecare are sometimes looked after by specialized caregivers and there are standards that people should set when they opt for homecare but one thing that people should never take for granted is safety. There are a lot of affordable home appliances in the Philippines that cater specially to homecare but making the home itself a safe environment for the elderly is a challenge that should be taken seriously. 

Measures that people should take to make their home safe and sound include but are not limited to the following:

1.   General Safety – Generally, people would want their parents or the elderly safe anywhere so here are a few safety tips for the home.

a.    Buddy System – Assign a buddy to take care of the elderly in emergencies or when needed.

b.    Prescription Walking Aid – Use the correct height for walking aids. Incorrectly measured walking sticks may cause unwanted accidents.

c.    Rails – Install safety rails to high-places and the stairs.

d.   Lighting – Install sufficient lighting to every room. Majority of slips occur because of poor visibility or poor lighting.

2.   Bathroom Safety – Attach handle bars in the showers or some skid-proof matson the floor to prevent slipping. Majority of accidents that occur among the elderly happen in the bathroom and often these injuries worsen because the elderly are left without emergency care because they are locked in the bathroom.

a.    Leave the lights on at night – Some of the elderly may have trouble seeing so leaving the lights on at night in the bathroom should lessen their risks in the bathroom.

b.    Mark the faucets clearly – Clearly mark the faucets to help elders distinguish between hot and cold. This will help prevent chills or scalding them when they take their baths.

c.    Install double-sided locks – Install locks that may be opened on both sides to prevent the elderly from locking themselves in the bathroom as well as having the ability to open the door for them in case of an emergency.

3.   Kitchen Safety – Kitchens are definitely a dangerous place for anyone, especially for children and the elderly so here are some ways to make the kitchen a safe environment.

a.    Cleanliness – Keep the floors and the tabletops clean and uncluttered to ensure that the environment is trip free.

b.    Mark appliances clearly – Label the appliances and their on and off switches as well as their voltage to avoid fire related accidents.

c.    Level objects – Store heavy objects at waist level. Majority of the accidents that occur in the kitchen occur when a person slips or falls whenever they try to reach for something heavy that’s placed on a shelf at eye level.

4.   Medicine Safety – Majority of medication may prove to be fatal when taken in the wrong doses.

a.    Organization – As stated above, label medicine correctly and dispose of expired medicine.

b.    To each his own – Never take another person’s prescription medicine. Go directly to a doctor and have them prescribe medication to the patient.

Safety may seem like a troublesome mess but it should never be compromised, especially for your loved ones.

Author Biography:

Kimberly Marie Gayeta (Kimmy) is a Communications Degree holder, passionate writer, currently working as a local Public Relations Officerand an online Marketing Representative.

Thoroughly fascinated about travelling, leisure, and living the good life!