How to Help Prevent an Elderly or Disabled Family Member From Having an In-Home Accident
When someone you love is coping with a disability or impaired mobility due to aging, it can be somewhat anxiety-provoking. This can be especially true when you’re not living together or you can’t be at home throughout the day. There are several things that you can do to help prevent your loved one from suffering an accident or injury while at home. These measures will help to keep them safe while also enabling them to maintain as much independence as possible. Here are 3 effective ways to help keep a loved one safe in his or her home.
1. Make Modifications to the Bathroom
The average bathroom is not well equipped to accommodate an individual with a disability or limited mobility. Bathrooms can be a particularly common area for accidents to occur because they are small areas, people may need to make awkward or precarious movements to navigate a bathroom, and water on the floor and surfaces can increase the chances of slipping. Bathroom modifications for disabled individuals can help to significantly alleviate many of the obstacles presented by using the toilet and bathing. Grab bars can be installed near toilets and showers so that a person will have a solid and easily accessible support structure to help their balance. Walk-in or roll-in showers will spare people from needing to get in and out of a tub and reduce the risk of a fall.
2. Install a Stair Lift
Many people can benefit from installing stairlift equipment to get up and down the stairs. This type of equipment isn’t just for people who are confined to a wheelchair. Individuals with knee damage, a hip injury, or unsteady balance will be spared of a lot of pain and anxiety when they are able to get up and down the stairs comfortably. The stairs are one of the most dangerous places in a home for a fall to occur, and it’s prudent to do everything to prevent the chances of a fall in this area.
3. Build a Walk-Up Ramp
Similar to a stairlift, a front entrance ramp isn’t just for people who need a wheelchair. Installing a ramp is also a helpful modification for an individual with a disability limiting his or her mobility or balance. A ramp can help a person who uses a cane or has chronic pain to leave the house with greater ease and confidence.