Living in a safe environment goes hand in hand with living independently. By considering some basic preventative measures, an older adult can prevent injury and stay in his or her home longer.
But sometimes it takes an objective evaluation of your home to get some insight on what you might be missing. At My Family Home Health Care, we do a safety assessment of a new client’s home to determine how we can help keep our clients safe and healthy.
Our assessment includes reviewing the home environment, fire and electrical details, bathroom safety and medication. The home environment covers the basics, such as does the client have adequate food and drink? Is there a working smoke detector? Is the home clean and free from infestation?
For fire and electrical safety, we review if the client is a smoker ensuring there is no smoking in bed. Are there fire exits available? If oxygen is used in the home are there precautions and signage?
Some examples for bathroom safety is we look for throw rugs. The bathroom can be a dangerous fall area for older adults and rugs are the worst offenders for causing trips. Also, in the bathroom we look for safety bars, adequate lighting, and other factors.
Finally, medication safety is why we use a nursing supervisor. Our nurse will review the medication schedule and safety instructions given to the client, so we understand what the caregiver needs to monitor and potential medication side effects.
Aging in place can take planning, and we will ensure that our client’s safety and comfort are priorities. Please contact us if we can help you in your home!