RespiteMatch.com Health Blog

Here are tips you may use to make your household environment more “user friendly” for yourself or your loved ones. These are merely suggestions and ideas to “safe proof” you and your home as well as to protect you from mishaps and accidents.

Home Furnishing

Furniture should be positioned in low-traffic areas such as corners and sections of the room, out of the range of mobility. Individuals with sight impairments or mobility problems may run into furniture more easily.

Furniture should be stable and without sharp corners, if possible. This will minimize the chances of injury.

Avoid the use of scatter/throw rugs, as they may cause a person to trip and fall.

Consider the placement of barriers or gates at the top and/or bottom of stairs or dangerous areas. This may prevent individuals from falling or injuring themselves, especially those with orientation problems (dementia patients, Alzheimer’s patients) or stability issues.
Lighting and Colors

Lighting levels should be fairly consistent throughout the home. Individuals have a difficult time focusing when they move from light to dark and vice versa, especially those with vision impairments.

Avoid shiny surfaces, as they may cause a glare, and make it more difficult to see.

Keep walkways and bathrooms well lit, and invest in several night lights throughout the house.

Keep several flashlights on hand in case of a power outage. One should be kept in the bedroom near the bed and others in areas where the most time is spent (e.g. den, living room, basement etc.). Do not use candles as they can be a fire hazard.

Colors: yellows, oranges and reds are most easily distinguished by individuals with vision impairments. Use contrasting colors in areas where there are doorways, and walls, steps and other structurally challenged areas. Contrasting colors are more easily recognized than closely related colors.
Hearing Impairments

In order to filter out extraneous noise, floors should be carpeted and windows should have curtains to minimize echoes and sharp noises.

If an individual is hearing impaired, he/she may want to purchase a “telephone notification device” which flashes each time the telephone rings. Similar devices which flash when the doorbell rings are also available.
Mobility Assistance

Grab bars may be a wise investment for a household, especially for individuals with wheelchairs or stability problems. Grab bars are most useful in bathrooms. They can offer support and assistance with getting in/out of the tub and on/off the toilet. They are certainly an added bonus anywhere else throughout the house. They can be purchased at medical supply stores or hardware stores. Handrails are also helpful items. They are especially useful for staircases, if an individual will be going up or down stairs often. Bars should be properly installed by a knowledgeable individual to avoid mistakes and mishaps.
Specific Living Areas - What to Do

Bathrooms

The bathroom is the most likely area of a household where a person may fall. Placing non-skid adhesive strips in the tub or on the floor of the bathroom is an easy and inexpensive way to prevent falls.

Tub seats are also extras that may assist an individual with mobility issues. They permit individuals in wheelchairs or those with minimal strength in their arms and legs to maneuver into the tub/shower area.

Hand-held shower attachments are a good investment for those individuals experiencing difficulty with mobility in their arm and wrist joints, such as arthritis sufferers.
Bedrooms, Living Rooms

Keep extension cords in an “out of the way” place (such as behind furniture) to prevent tripping and failing. Furniture legs should not be on electrical cords because cords can wear down. Do not place extension cords in “high traffic areas” or under rugs, as they can wear down and cause fires. It may be a good idea to invest in a cord ramp protector to place over the cords. Cords should still be checked every so often for wear and tear.

Shelves should be strategically placed in bedroom and living room areas to limit reaching. Shelves should be low enough to avoid using a stepstool. All items should be at eye level in order to find them easily.
Bells and Buzzers

When operated by the touch of a button, these devices or emergency response systems will send a signal to an individual, a physician, rescue squad, or 911. Certain devices will only contact one individual or 911 (the “911″ regulations vary from municipality to municipality), others will signal a series of persons until a contact is made. The cost of these devices range from $100-$350, depending on the services you want/need. These devices are available through specialty or burglar alarm companies.
Outside Lighting

It is a good idea to have ample lighting outside, especially on porches and walkways leading to one’s home, as well as driveways and garages. Lights and sensor lights (lights that automatically go on when a motion is detected) may be purchased at most hardware stores.
Check-Ins

It is a wise idea to check-in with someone such as a family member, a friend or a neighbor on a daily basis. This way, if you are unable to get to the phone or need particular assistance on a given day, the absence of the call will signal someone that something may be wrong.

Make certain that the following information is displayed by the phone:
YOUR NAME
YOUR TELEPHONE NUMBER
YOUR ADDRESS
NAME AND TELEPHONE NUMBER OF YOUR PHYSICIAN
NAME(S) AND TELEPHONE NUMBER(S) OF PERSON(S) TO CONTACT IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY

You may want to place a LIST OF YOUR PRESCRIPTIONS and their respective dosages on your refrigerator in case you are unable to tell someone what medications you are taking.
Home Repair Service Areas

Most states have a local planning organization which assists the elderly with minor home repairs. Conditions in the homes of elderly persons can potentially threaten their health and safety. Services to meet their needs include:

Conducting a needs assessment of the residence

Light carpentry

Repairing leaking roofs

Repairing broken windows, doors, steps, cracked or damaged floors and fallen ceilings

Repairing toilet/general plumbing

Providing counseling and education about home repairs
Fire Safety

Smoke Alarms

Make certain that smoke alarms are positioned in key places throughout the home (e.g. in hallways directly outside of the bedroom). Smoke detectors, not to be confused with heat detectors, should be placed on each level of the home including the basement.

Smoke alarms should not be placed in corners (this is considered “dead air space”), nor in the kitchen, as the heat from cooking may cause recurring false alarms.

Make sure that the smoke detectors are working properly. Batteries should be tested often to make certain they are working. If the smoke detectors in your home are hardwired, make sure that at least one of them has battery back up. This detector should be placed at the highest level of the house. Most importantly, if there are no smoke detectors in the home, invest in several. Smoke detectors may be purchased at any area hardware store.

There are smoke detectors available for hearing impaired individuals with strobe lights to signal the presence of smoke/fire.
Carbon Monoxide Detectors

Carbon monoxide detectors are important for homes with fossil fuel appliances such as natural gas furnaces, natural gas water heaters, wood burning stoves, fireplace inserts or fuel oil furnaces. It is suggested that two (2) be placed in the home: one at the highest level in the home (e.g. top of the stairs or the hallway near the bedroom areas), and one near the appliance itself. Carbon monoxide detectors may be purchased at most hardware and department stores.
Fireplace

If your home is equipped with fireplaces, it is wise to have the chimney cleaned after each two cords of wood, especially if it is used often.
Shelves

Shelves should not be placed above the cooking area, as clothing may catch on fire. Also, if the stove is near a window, avoid the use of draperies for that window. Install venetian blinds/mini blinds in place of curtains, as curtains may catch on fire easily with the stove below them.
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