While it is true that “there’s no place like home,” is being home the safest place for senior citizens? The debate over whether assisted living or aging in place is the best option for seniors has been going on for many years now. The answer to the question isn’t an easy one. It depends on the senior citizen themselves and what type of home safety features are in place to keep them secure, yet living alone. In this article, you’ll find a few different home safety tips for seniors to ensure that aging in place is an option worth looking into.
Have the Home Remodeled for Safety’s Sake
One of the first things you should do when trying to make a home safer for a senior citizen is to consider a remodel of the home. There are local handicap remodeling contractors NJ who will gladly remodel your bathroom and other rooms in the home to make them safe to live in and to meet your specific needs as well. From grab bars to elevators and ease of access remodeling the home should give you peace of mind in knowing that the home is as safe as it can get.
Schedule Monthly Pest Control
As you age, it becomes more and more likely that you’ll develop a sickness or disease that you wouldn’t have caught so easily when you were younger. The following pests can cause problems in your home and to your health as well.
- Termites
- Ants
- Bed bugs
- Spiders
- Wasps
- Mosquitos
- Fleas
- Millipedes
- Cockroaches
- and other pests that can cause an infestation
If you have seen or even suspect an infestation in your home, it’s best to contact a reputable residential pest control company to take care of these common household pests for you. Controlling infestations in your home can go a long way towards giving you the ability to age in place with no problems.
Remove Fall Hazards
Removing fall hazards is essential if you want to age in place successfully. Falls are the leading cause of accidents in senior citizens today. Luckily, there are a few steps you can take to ensure your safety from falls if you want to age in place. Remove all of the throw rugs in the home, as they can slide causing you to take a spill, clean up any clutter that is lying around, donate or discard old furniture, make sure that you wear non-slip footwear, make your environment more open and airy. These are just a few of the ways to remove fall hazards from your home, there are more, you just need to look for them.
Keep Emergency Numbers On Hand
Make sure that you have all of your emergency numbers on hand and ready to dial if something should happen. You’ll need easy access to your doctor, 911, friends and relatives you can call if something were to happen and the poison control number just in case. When you have a mobility issue, it’s always best to be prepared and have everything within easy reach.
Remodel the Kitchen
As you get older and your mobility is limited things that were easy to do in the kitchen before can cause issues now. It’s best to call in a reputable contractor to remodel your kitchen and make it user friendly for you.
These are just a few of the tips out there for senior citizens that are considering aging in place. While it is a great idea for most, if your home isn’t equipped for it, you’re doomed to fail. Follow the tips above and then you should be able to age in place safely and happily.
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