Need help making my home safer

First, we would not buy or live in any place with stairs.
All the doorknobs have been replaced with lever handles. Simple job screwdriver, six screws.
All light switches have been replaced with "rocker switches" which are easy to nudge with wrist or elbow when carrying something. Switches for lights are illuminated, switches for ceiling fans are not. Bathroom has a motion sensor switch, you walk in the light comes on. When you leave it gives you a minute to get back in bed and then goes off.
Caller ID on the TV screen lets you know which calls to ignore.

Remember that never again will you be as young as you are right this minute. Plan ahead.
 

The video has a chair nearby, but what if you don't.? I practice getting up. Roll over on your stomach. Raise up on your arms. Bring up one knee as in the video. Then push up with the bent knee and bring up the other leg and knee in a squat position. Rest and slowly raise up. Much easier if there is something to grab onto.
 
Took a class on this sponsored by my local office for the aging...
1-bright lighting inside and out.
2- make sure you reach back and locate the seat you're planning on,especially if your backing into a seat,like with a walker.
3,-raised toilet or one of those risers they sell in catalogs and a grab bar.
4-no throw rugs,or "waterfall" style carpet on stairs.
5- no extension cords
6- keep phone close by your favorite seat,if no life alert,keep a cordless phone and move around the house with it.
7- no standing on chairs,tables to change a lightbulb or kill a mosquito,etc.
 

Keep extra flashlights (called torches in UK ?) in more rooms, in low places, and back-up batteries.
Easier and safer to get to and to use, if needed, than candles and matches.
 
We frequently need to get out of bed before morning. The bedroom is still dark & we should not have to get up & walk to the light switch. I found a good solution. I hung a small LED flashlight that I can reach before getting up. It's pointed at the ceiling, so it floods the whole room with dim light. Much better than holding it, which concentrates the light in a small area.
Also, if you need glasses, have them available nearby without getting up.
 
There are remote ways to turn on lamps without having to get out of bed.

I have a switch on the cord to the lamp beside the bed.

Checked yesterday at the dollar store. They have a night light that projects on to the ceiling and supposedly spreads a dim light. I haven't tried it yet.
 
And keep a cell phone on your person or near at hand so you can call if you do need help.
Good point. I make sure that I always have the cellphone in my pocket when going out in the yard or to the garage or shed. I no longer walk to our fields behind the buildings but use the car or riding mower. Nobody'd even hear you yelling if you took a fall back there.

And regarding bedroom lights - -we have all three lights and the oscillating fan connected through a remote on the bed table beside me. Can turn them all on or off without arising.
 
Good point. I make sure that I always have the cellphone in my pocket when going out in the yard or to the garage or shed. I no longer walk to our fields behind the buildings but use the car or riding mower. Nobody'd even hear you yelling if you took a fall back there.

And regarding bedroom lights - -we have all three lights and the oscillating fan connected through a remote on the bed table beside me. Can turn them all on or off without arising.
Yes, great idea. We can't predict where we will be in an emergency. I have 6 hand pieces for my cordless phone in every room, plus a land line.
 
Good suggestions, especially about the rails in the bathtub or shower, and about not leaving unexpected items where you can trip over them. If you do leave an item on the floor where you don't normally have anything there, put it over next to the wall, where you are not likely to walk.

I have one of those life alert systems that I wear, but at times I forget to put it on, so I have a backup system. Every morning at 10:00, I send a text to two of my children, just saying, "Hi." Of course, sometimes I add something if I have anything to discuss with them, or ask them about. The agreement is that if they don't hear from me by about 10:15, they send me a text asking if everything is OK. If I don't answer, they call me. If no answer to that, my son is supposed to come over. He has a key to my apartment. Fortunately, it hasn't happened yet. But we all feel a lot more secure knowing that they are expecting a daily reminder from me.

When getting up at night to use the bathroom (or whatever the reason), always turn on a bedside lamp. Or have a night light in your room. Don't ever try to walk in the dark.
 
We replaced our lighting with 4000k 1‘ X 4’ led units for the kitchen and garage. Also added a round led light at our stairway. Made a big difference in our case. I had no idea how poorly lit our home was until installing the leds.

No area rugs.

Floor level led strips near chairs sofas, etc are a good idea if a person has furniture in the the way that may be a trip hazard.

All the normal handrails etc.
 
Get rid of those throw rugs. Even the non slip ones are a trip hazard.

There are electric ranges that have an automatic shut off available today. They can be expensive. A cheap fix is to get a timer with a clip on it. After you turn your burner on to heat whatever you are heating set your timer and clip it to your clothing. It just might keep you from burning your house down.

Fresh batteries in your smoke detectors. (Most folks don't look up and those alarms are soon forgotten).
 
In addition, I suggest choosing which items in each room, that you use most frequently,
and put those selected items, in places for you to reach most easily.
So you are not climbing up for them, etc

It sounds simple, but many of us have things in their old spots, or in the traditional places, including heavy items up in cupboards, and heavy awkward things taking up counter space,
or items used less frequently in front of items we use more often.

With some thought,
items could be rearranged, and moved to the easiest, most accessible places,
to avoid falling, hurting yourself, or dropping them.
This is what I have done in my kitchen. I now have a corner rack on the counter for some plates and a small baskets for bowls. I had to give up the space at the back of my counters but it is worth it. I had trouble getting things out of the cupboards due to my shoulders.

I have done it with other things throughout my home. I found I was not using things that were difficult to get.

I use a rolling walker but I have a stationary one near my bed so I can get out of the bed holding on to it. I also have a grab bar (I bought it on Amazon) on the other side of the bed to make it easier to move around or get up. The rolling walker is good for anyone to walk with inside their home. I need it but I see how useful it is if you need to carry stuff with you from one room to another. I put a tray on it and can carry a plate of food with me. When I go shopping, I keep my purse in the seat and never have to worry about someone trying to grab it from me.

In the bathroom, the only advice I would add is if you have a shower and it is big enough to get a shower chair. I use one and it has made a huge difference. The grab bars inside and outside the shower really help me a lot. My apartment is made for a disabled person and has given me back my independence.
 
The video has a chair nearby, but what if you don't.? I practice getting up. Roll over on your stomach. Raise up on your arms. Bring up one knee as in the video. Then push up with the bent knee and bring up the other leg and knee in a squat position. Rest and slowly raise up. Much easier if there is something to grab onto.
What when you slip on icy brick sidewalks I did a huge head bang flat on my back I was speed walking on cowboy boots. Two inch heels. I went down so hard I could not get up. I was so dizzy from hitting my head. Someone was in their car watching. No help at all, I laid there for a little while. Winter I long for snowbirding.
 
Get rid of those throw rugs. Even the non slip ones are a trip hazard.

There are electric ranges that have an automatic shut off available today. They can be expensive. A cheap fix is to get a timer with a clip on it. After you turn your burner on to heat whatever you are heating set your timer and clip it to your clothing. It just might keep you from burning your house down.

Fresh batteries in your smoke detectors. (Most folks don't look up and those alarms are soon forgotten).
This is a great idea about the timer. I've forgotten things I've put on the stove, like when I hard boil eggs (I must admit not that often). A timer would remind me to shut it off.
 
This is what I have done in my kitchen. I now have a corner rack on the counter for some plates and a small baskets for bowls. I had to give up the space at the back of my counters but it is worth it. I had trouble getting things out of the cupboards due to my shoulders.

I have done it with other things throughout my home. I found I was not using things that were difficult to get.

I use a rolling walker but I have a stationary one near my bed so I can get out of the bed holding on to it. I also have a grab bar (I bought it on Amazon) on the other side of the bed to make it easier to move around or get up. The rolling walker is good for anyone to walk with inside their home. I need it but I see how useful it is if you need to carry stuff with you from one room to another. I put a tray on it and can carry a plate of food with me. When I go shopping, I keep my purse in the seat and never have to worry about someone trying to grab it from me.

In the bathroom, the only advice I would add is if you have a shower and it is big enough to get a shower chair. I use one and it has made a huge difference. The grab bars inside and outside the shower really help me a lot. My apartment is made for a disabled person and has given me back my independence.
My husband is disabled and that grab bar you mentioned would be great for him. Could you tell me the exact kind you got on Amazon?
 
This is a great idea about the timer. I've forgotten things I've put on the stove, like when I hard boil eggs (I must admit not that often). A timer would remind me to shut it off.
After a couple of eggs exploded, I learned to never leave the kitchen & do something else when I'm cooking anything. Even if I need to use the bathroom, I'll turn off the stove.
 
This is a great idea about the timer. I've forgotten things I've put on the stove, like when I hard boil eggs (I must admit not that often). A timer would remind me to shut it off.
I have an Alexa that I use almost exclusively as a timer/reminder. I ask her to remind me in 35 minutes to fold the laundry, or to shut off the water that's filling the pool, or in two minutes to check the garlic toast, or check the pasta, etc., etc. She also gives my husband a daily reminder to take a pill at 2:00 pm.

She's not so good on other stuff, but is the best darn timer I've ever had.
 
Hi Everyone,,

Glad I found this website. I currently find myself living alone in sunny South Florida in a small single family home.

Does anyone have any recommendations on how to make my home safer for slip and falls and "senior proofing" so it's safe? Has anyone used a service that helps with this? Any recommendations where I should look?


Hi,

I found this video/channel on youtube. Tips/exercises for older adults. Might be useful

 


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