As you grow older, you may notice that your balance, reaction time, and strength are not what they used to be. While this may make you more cautious as you move throughout your day, you shouldn’t have to be cautious and nervous to move about your own home.
According to A Place for Mom, falls are the number one cause of injuries, and even death by injury, in older Americans. Falls are common among older adults but they are so easy to prevent. By simply fall-proofing your home, you can move about with ease and less fear of falling. But fall-proofing your home is not the only way to make your home more comfortable to navigate as you age.
At Nova Home Health Care in Fairfax, we understand that everyone wants their independence, even as they age. This is why we provide home health care services to help ensure that you or a loved one can get the care you need from the comfort of your own home. We also know that being able to remain independent means that you need to be able to feel safe and comfortable in your own home. Elder-proofing your home for you or a loved one can allow for more independence. In this blog, we are going to talk about how to elder-proof your home.
Remove Any Tripping Hazards
One of the simplest ways to make your home safer for yourself as you age, or for elderly loved ones, is to remove any tripping hazards. Removing these items can help reduce the chances of a fall occurring, which will make the home safer to navigate. Whether you have decorations on the floor, such as vases or statues, or pet bowls, cords, and other clutter items, these can easily cause someone to trip and get injured. Even the corners of rugs can begin to curl, becoming a huge tripping hazard. By going through your home and removing these items, you will be able to make your home a bit safer for you or your loved one.
Rearrange Furniture
Make sure that there are clear and easy paths throughout the home and between furniture. Especially, if you or your loved one uses a cane or walker, make sure there is enough space for them to move around without having to work around furniture. Move the couches and chairs in your living room so that there is enough space between them. This will help make the home much easier to navigate, no matter where you or your loved one is trying to get to.
Choose Non-Slip
There are a lot of items in the house that may cause slips. Make sure you choose non-slip items throughout your entire home. Non-slip rugs can help make it easier to walk across different surfaces without fear or tripping over a rug. If you don’t have non-slips or don’t want to buy new rugs for the entire home, be sure to use double-sided tape to secure the rugs to the floor so that any older adults can move across them with ease.
Non-slip items are also great in the bathroom. Invest in non-slip strips or a rubber bath mat to put on the floor to keep the floor dry and prevent the bath mat from slipping. These are both important to prevent slipping. You can also add a non-slip mat in the shower and bathtub to ensure that no falls happen while bathing.
These are a few of the many ways to elder-proof your home and make it safer and more comfortable for you or a loved one to live in as they age. These tips can help ensure that no falls happen and that you can live independently, even as you age. In our next blog, we will give you even more tips for making your home safer for elderly adults.
If you need in-home health care for yourself or a loved one in Fairfax, be sure to contact Nova Home Health Care. We will be able to help you with a variety of home care options, including post-surgery home care, in-home nursing, occupational therapy, and more. Contact us to learn more!
