• Keeping seniors safe involves more than just preventing falls and making adjustments to the home. • Safety tips for seniors also include car safety, safety while traveling, and online safety. • Older adults with conditions like Alzheimer’s and dementia may require extra help to navigate their homes and take their medications. • It’s important for senior loved ones to get their daily exercise to prevent muscle weakness and avoid injuries inside and outside the home.
When it comes to the safety of aging loved ones, we shouldn’t take any chances. But what can we do to keep ourselves and our older family members safe?
In the modern world, our aging parents may face new challenges with each passing year. So knowing how to keep them safe can feel overwhelming at times.
Whether you’re a new caregiver embarking on a journey with your loved one, or you’re the one entering this phase of your life, we’ve put together a list of the best tips to help ensure your peace of mind.
What Are the Most Important Aspects of Safety for Seniors?
When you think of senior safety, the first thing that comes to mind is probably fall prevention.
Injuries from falls are one of the greatest concerns for seniors and the leading cause of injury among older adults — but it isn’t the only thing that threatens the safety of our aging loved ones.
Home Safety
There are several aspects to consider when it comes to home safety, and it might be difficult to know where to begin.
This is especially true if a loved one suffers an injury or receives an unexpected diagnosis that makes their current home unsuitable for their needs.
When it comes to home safety and anticipating the changes you’ll have to make for old age especially if you or a loved one would like to age in place — starting early is advisable.
When you get a head start, there’s a greater chance of having enough time and money to finish the necessary renovations to live safely as you age.
Fall prevention
Fall injury is a great risk for older adults, and once you’ve had one fall, you’re more likely to fall again. There are several things you can do to prevent falls, including the following:
Installing grab bars.
Ensuring there’s adequate lighting in dark areas — this includes installing night lights.
Making sure that light switches are within easy reach.
Removing loose rugs and other objects to avoid tripping over them.
Installing a raised toilet seat that is easier to use.
Using a medical alert device with fall detection — more on this below.
For a more comprehensive list of changes you can make to your home, use our fall prevention checklist and the National Institute on Aging’s guidelines for preventing falls room by room.
What about home modifications for seniors with health conditions?
An aging adult with special needs or an existing health condition — such as dementia or Alzheimer’s — will need additional help when it comes to their safety inside and outside the home.
CAPS are experts in home modifications for aging in place. They will work with you and other professionals — like health care and social workers — to transform a home into the safest, most comfortable place for your aging loved ones.
Fire safety
Fire is another top hazard for aging adults. The fire death rate is 14 times higher for people over 65 than for people younger than 65.
By taking some simple precautions, you can reduce the risk of fire and protect yourself and your home.
Always keep a fire extinguisher handy, and purchase the right one for your needs.
The fire extinguisher should be easily accessible and someone in the home. Either yourself or a caregiver should know how to use it.
Also install a carbon monoxide detector. Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless gas that can be deadly. It is produced by gas appliances, wood-burning stoves, and other sources.
Here are some additional fire safety tips:
Keep flammable materials away from heat sources.
Don’t overload electrical outlets or use frayed cords.
Never leave cooking food unattended.
Make sure that fires are properly extinguished.
Navigation safety
Being able to safely move from room to room is also part of fall prevention.
To ensure that you don’t trip or fall when you go about your daily activities, here are some things you can do:
Wear nonslip shoes without laces (these are common tripping hazards).
If you use a wheelchair, widen entranceways and hallways.
Install lights with motion sensors.
Consider downsizing— a smaller home may mean less clutter and more free space to move.
Emergency help
Even if you’ve entirely remodeled a home for aging in place and taken every other precaution to ensure your loved one remains safe, accidents still happen.
The Health in Aging Foundation recommends keeping a list of emergency numbers close by. This list should include 911, your local poison center, a doctor’s number, and an emergency family contact.
The only problem is that someone might not always be able to dial a number if they’re panicking or they’re incapacitated due to an injury.
Medical alert devices are excellent for emergencies when someone cannot dial a number for help. These nifty tools can be programmed with emergency contacts that are dialed at the click of a button, which gets you or your loved one help fast.
Logicmark’s Freedom Alert Plus even has built-in fall detection. This means emergency contacts are called automatically in the event of a fall. This can be lifesaving for people who live on their own and it’s an aging-in-place necessity.
Traveling Safety
To maintain good health, strength, and mental wellness, an aging loved one will need to venture out from time to time.
Whether it’s for their daily walk or a doctor’s visit, it’s important for aging adults to be able to leave their homes and return safely.
Here are the top safety tips for seniors on the go:
Car safety
Driving a vehicle is an activity that can give an aging adult a profound sense of independence.
If your loved one is still able to drive, but you’re concerned about them being out on the roads alone, ensure that someone accompanies them on their weekly outings.
This can be a caregiver or an assistant. If a trusted family member acts as a chaperone, a trip to the mall could turn into a wonderful bonding experience that could really lift the mood of an adult who doesn’t get out as often as they’d like.
An older adult who drives should also follow these safety tips:
Perform routine car maintenance.
Adjust driving habits, including avoiding heavy traffic and freeways.
Avoid distractions like using the radio or smartphones.
Walking safety
You can make as many adjustments to your home as you like, but you cannot fall-proof the outside world — so seniors should take extra care on their daily walks or when visiting the neighbors.
It’s important to wear shoes that are comfortable and don’t have any laces as these are tripping hazards.
LogicMark’s Guardian Alert 911 Plus is a great option for people on the go. It uses 4G LTE technology and keeps them connected to emergency services while they’re out and about, which gives family members peace of mind.
Some essential walking safety tips for seniors include:
Alerting a primary caregiver or family member whenever they leave the home.
Wearing practical clothing that won’t impede blood circulation.
Taking water with them on their walk.
Wearing a sunhat if it is warm out.
Avoiding walking or other physical exercise in high heat.
Using mobility aids like walkers and canes.
Not forgetting to insert and turn on their hearing aids (for those who use them).
Medication Safety
Most older adults have conditions that are managed with medication that must be taken as per their doctor’s instructions.
Some tips from the FDA on medication safety include:
Taking medications as prescribed.
Keeping an eye on the expiration date and replacing expired medications.
Properly storing medications.
Being aware of potential side effects.
Keeping a medication list and updating it regularly.
It’s important for older people to be able to take medicines safely. If they have a condition like dementia which affects their memory, ensure that a trusted family member or caregiver can administer their medications.
Online Safety
Most people focus on home safety tips when it comes to their aging loved ones, but online safety is also important.
The internet can be a dark place for someone who is too trusting and doesn’t know how to recognize a scam.
Antivirus software and antispyware should be installed on computers and smartphones. You should also educate your loved ones on how to interact with people via social media — you may want to adjust some privacy settings in this regard.
Where Can I Learn More About Keeping My Loved Ones Safe as They Age?
Are you concerned about how you’ll care for your mother or father when the time comes—or perhaps you’re the one about to enter your golden years? LogicMark can help. Our medical alert devices can help you care for the ones you love.
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