How to Make Sure Your Elderly Are Always Help in Emergencies
Having an elderly loved one to take care of can be quite worrisome. You are constantly concerned about their well-being and are afraid that an emergency may occur at any moment when you are not around. You also cannot take care of them yourself twenty-four-seven because you have other obligations that need your attention. However, you shouldn’t lose hope because there are some steps that you can take to ensure your elderly family member remains safe and unharmed. These steps also ensure that if an emergency ever occurs, your elderly loved one can get proper care and will not be left to deal with the emergency on their own.
Safe-Proof Against Falling
One of the hazards that elderly people commonly face at home is tripping or falling due to objects being in their way. Not to mention, there could be a chore or task that they are determined to do that involves using a ladder. To ease your worry about your family member living with such a hazard that could easily turn into an emergency, you can start safe proofing the home. Start by removing rugs that could lead to tripping and falling. You also need to remove any objects or furniture that could get in the way. If there are any chores to be done requiring a ladder, hire a person to do them, or you can do it yourself so that your loved one isn’t at risk.
List Emergency Numbers Clearly
It is unrealistic to think that an elderly person can memorize all the different emergency numbers that could be useful in an emergency. What you can do to make sure that these numbers are used is listing them clearly in different places around the home. This ensures that no matter what room your elderly loved one is in, they can easily call for help if it is needed. Some emergency numbers you should include on your list are the police, firefighters, and emergency medical responders. These will differ according to the country you are living in.
Install Grab-Bars
Bathrooms can be quite risky for older people since the floor can get wet easily, which may lead to slipping. This is especially true in the shower. To make sure that your family member does not end up hitting their head on a counter because he or she slipped, you need to install grab-bars. These simple bars can be installed next to the toilet and inside the shower so that they can easily hold onto them instead of slipping.
Install and Maintain Fire Alarms
Using the stove or any kind of heating element can lead to an emergency really quickly if left unattended or forgotten. To make sure that your loved one is protected from fire hazards, install carbon-monoxide and smoke detectors all over their home. Sometimes, these alarms can even be used to alert the proper authorities if they are triggered. Whenever you go over to your elderly’s home, make sure to check the alarms and change their batteries if necessary, to ascertain their effectiveness.
Purchase an Emergency Alert
An emergency alert is basically a device that an elderly person can use to notify you that they require assistance due to an emergency. There are different types of alerts out there, but they all have the same basic function, no matter how many other features may be included. Some alerts have a GPS chip installed so that you can track where your family member is if they are in need of help or if they are in any kind of danger. Since there are different alerts out there, finding the perfect one for your loved one will depend on how much information you want to be transmitted to you and features such as battery life and signal strength.
Reorganize Kitchen
The kitchen is not just hazardous because of the danger of using the stovetop. If there are any high cabinets, then you need to sort through the different appliances and utensils stored there. If these things are constantly in use, then you must place them in more accessible places. You also need to replace any glass objects since they can cause serious injuries if broken.
Hire a Caregiver
If you are still worried even after taking all of these steps, then you can look for a caregiver who can provide the care and companionship your elderly family member needs while you are dealing with other obligations that cannot be avoided. Having in-home care for the elderly is very beneficial. It will ensure that he or she is never alone and thus lowers the chances of having an emergency occur without someone present to help.
Using these seven different steps, your elderly person is going to be as safe as possible. Although some of these precautions may seem extreme, it is better to be safe rather than sorry when it comes to dealing with the safety of an elderly person. Remember that sometimes, your family member will try to reject these ideas because he or she does not want to seem as though they need help, so you need to convince them that these steps are necessary to ease your mind and to ensure their safety.
