I’m going to conclude this week-long series about safety with some general home safety advice for seniors. Home safety is important for everyone, so stay tuned for home safety tips even if you aren’t a senior. You can find more information from HealthinAging.org.
Have an Emergency Plan and Keep Your Emergency Contacts Visible
It is always a good idea to have an emergency plan in place that is tailored to the disasters that your area usually faces. In Kentucky, that would be storms, snow, and tornadoes. You’re going to need to research where to go that will be able to help you with any equipment that you have, and places you can take your animals, if applicable. Always have your emergency contacts in a visible area, like on your fridge. Either a caregiver or emergency personnel can grab in the event of a weather or medical emergency.
Be Careful With Your Medications
It’s best to take your medications in a well-lit room. This is to avoid mixing them or mixing them up. If you have trouble reading the labels, have someone else sort the pills out for you. If the label is hard to read, try to memorize what the pills look like and when you take each one.
Always Be Prepared to Stabilize Yourself
Make sure your home is equipped with grab bars, railings, and any assistive devices you may need to be able to prevent a fall. Use them, often. As we’ve talked about before, falls can be devastating for an older adult’s health.
In conclusion, I hope you’ve enjoyed our journey through safety. We’ve covered home safety checks, caregivers and safety, fall prevention, and patient safety awareness week. This is a vital topic that has many different aspects to it, and I hope to do similar series on other topics in the future.
