5 Simple Things You Can do to Make Home Safer for an Older Loved One

I am really going to hope that my parents don’t see this post and think that I am referring to them as older while talking about how to make home safer for an older loved one. While my parents are not there yet I know with in time they will be. It is a fact of life that we all have to face, even if we don’t want to. Parent are going to get older and us as their kids are the ones who are going to take care of them. I believe we owe it back to them for all they have done for us when we were growing up. I thought it was an important topic to talk about and so I was happy to partner with Anthem, Inc. and its Medicare health plans that provided information for this post.

I have already had the conversation with my parents about how when they get older I am not letting them go to an “old people home”, they will be coming to live with Tom and I. We know at that point we won’t have any kids in our home because we had kids so young and that it is a great way to give back to my parents for raising me.

Make Home Safer for an Older Loved One

Some of you I know have mentioned that you are already having your older parents living with you, so I thought I would make it easier for you with a list on easy things you can do to make your home safer.

There are a lot of simple things that you can do now to make sure a house is safe for an older loved one and it is important that when caring for older loved ones you are informed. If you did not know, May is Older Americans Month, which is an observance that is in partnership with the Administration on Aging. Anthem Medicare has been working to provide information that can prepare and equip caregivers and older adults. That is so very important!

Some important information to know about older adults:

• In the next 20 minutes an older adult will die of a fall related injury
• One in three adults 65 years or older falls each year, but doesn’t bring it up with their doctor when they are at a doctors appointment.
• In the next 13 seconds an older adult will be treated in an emergency room for a fall.

Check out this infograph for more educational information!

Simple Things You Can do to Make Home Safer

• Use textured no-slip strips in the bathtub and shower
• Use rubber-backed bathmats in the bathroom
• Remove throw rugs
• Switch standard doorknobs out for lever handles
• Add grab bars in the bathrooms
• Fix any lose carpet areas
• Have chairs without wheels
• Arrange furniture so there is plenty of room to walk around
• Make sure all living areas are well lit.
• Have handrails for stair wells

 

If you have an older loved one, make sure you are doing things that can help them as they get older. If you are needing more information be sure to check out the Anthem website for more information.

 

 

 

 

Disclosure: Anthem, Inc. and its affiliated health plans provided the information for this post and compensation. All opinions are 100% my own.