Easy Ways Seniors Can Make Their Homes Safer

Many seniors lament their aging not because of their gray hair or bad hearing but because of their struggle to stay independent due to common senior safety concerns. However, there are some easy changes you can make in your home to help ensure safety with senior and elderly problems in mind. Here are just a few of the easy changes you can make:

Install a home security system. One of the common safety concerns for seniors is the fact that they are less able to defend themselves, and people prey upon them because of it. Most burglaries occur during the day. So, do a few of these things to reduce your chances of being a senior victim:

1. • Trim trees and shrubs to eliminate hiding places for thieves.
   • Keep the exterior of your home well lit.
   • Make it difficult for an intruder to enter.
   • Make sure windows are locked.
   • Secure the basement and attic windows.
   • Make your answering machine seem like someone else lives there.

Think slip prevention. One of the biggest safety concerns for senior is slipping. It is common for seniors to have more trips and falls. A lot of this comes as a result of decreased eyesight, and not as much mobility. However, slipping can cause fragile bones to break, and damage to occur. So, do some of the following simple things:

· Install grab bars in the shower and tub areas to help stabilize yourself in the slippery areas of your home.

· Do not use lotions or oils when in the tub.

· Have non-slip rugs near areas where there may be water, such as sinks and bathroom areas.

· Make sure any throw rugs are secured with double-sided tape.

· Wear rubber soled shoes that fit your feet well, and are easy to wear.

· Pick your feet up higher.

· Make sure lighting is good anywhere there are stairs, entry ways, etc.

Think Medical Emergency Preparedness. The fact is that as you age your chances of a medical emergency increase, and you do not want to find yourself lying on the floor helpless with no way to get help. The following are some simple things you can do in your home to help you think about and prepare for emergency medical situations:

· Keep a cordless phone on your person or near your person whenever possible. This way you are not trying to crawl across the floor with a broken hip to get to a wall mount phone.

· Install phones in every room so that should an emergency happen, you have access to help nearby.

· Consider using a medical alert system such as First Alert to protect you from being alone and helpless if a problem does occur.

· Make a list of all medications you take, and who your doctor is, as well as all other emergency contact information and keep it in your purse, in your home, in your car, etc. to help should an accident occur.

Many of the changes you can make in your home to help ensure safety as a senior are simple. They are things like making sure your furniture is easy to get in and out of, arranging it in a way that allows you clear passage through rooms even if there is poor lighting, putting reflective tape on stairs so you can see where one ends and another begins, etc.