Home Safety Concern is Top Priority for Elderly
I got up around 6:45 one morning and made my way to the kitchen to start the day. As I stood at the sink, something caught my eye out the front window. My neighbor’s front door appeared to be open and the screen door was flapping in the wind. This was a bit odd, because the temperatures were in the low 30’s and the north wind was howling… not exactly the kind of weather for leaving the door wide open. I stood there a few minutes to see if someone was coming in or out of the door and had possibly propped it open temporarily. Our neighbor is an elderly lady who lives with her son, and although she has assistance from him as well as Home Health care, she is still home alone at times, so I was concerned.
I couldn’t get a clear look at her porch since both of our homes sit off the main road, so I pulled on a pair of jeans and sweatshirt, stepped into my sneakers and grabbed my jacket on the way out the door. I told my husband that I needed to get a closer look just to be sure that everything was o.k.
As I got closer, I could see my neighbor’s arm waving in the air, grasping for the door frame in an attempt to get up. I ran to her porch and found her flat of her back, legs inside the door, head and body outside on the wood plank porch. She was in her nightgown, shivering from the cold. It appears that she had come outside for some reason, and when she tried to step back into her front entry, her foot slipped off of the step and she lost her balance, falling straight back onto the porch.
With a call to 9-1-1, the paramedics came quickly. She had some cuts and scrapes, but seemed to be okay. They took her to the hospital just to be on the safe side.
As I looked around at the entry of my neighbor’s home, it was apparent that even though some modifications had been made to accommodate her medical needs, her home was full of hazards and inconveniences that most likely were not issues at all before her health began to decline.
For instance, her porch sits approximately 3 inches lower than the front door, which makes this area a trip hazard. As I walked through and saw her shower chair, elevated toilet seat and an extra walker all wedged into the small, cramped bathroom space.
I recalled the challenges my family experienced when my father had a series of debilitating strokes, wheelchair bound at the age of 56, and forced to learn a new way of living in his old-style house. Bathrooms were too small, and doorways were too narrow. He never went upstairs again and found it difficult to navigate from room to room without assistance. Makeshift solutions were created with trial and error attempts, but we finally resigned ourselves to live with the shortcomings of our home.
While homes can be remodeled and modified to meet our new needs as we age, ideally we would design our homes from the ground up to serve us throughout our lifetime. Most people are hesitant to do this, however, because they are afraid that adding grab bars, raised toilets and levers on doors will make their surroundings feel like a hospital instead of a home. This may have been the case a few years ago, but today there are many new options that are practical while still being aesthetically pleasing.
When designing or remodeling your home, try to look into the future to determine what your and your family’s needs might be. Here are some tips that you can incorporate into your home for safety and functionality.
Doors - 30 inch doors are standard in most homes, but a better choice would be 36 inch door openings throughout the home. Not only does this prove beneficial for persons using wheelchairs and walkers, but also when moving large appliances in and out of the house. Pocket doors are also great for areas with limited space such as bathrooms or closets. You can regain a couple of inches of space by not having the hinged door in your way. Plus you don’t have to deal with the additional space issues of a door that swings into a small room.
Door levers instead of knobs - doorknobs are difficult to turn for people with arthritis. Handles are easier to use because they can simply be pushed down to release the door latch.
Faucets with levers - just as in the case with door levers, faucet levers are easier to use, especially when hands are wet. There are many lovely lever faucet designs available. Some people also find single-handle faucets to be more accommodating.
Avoid trip hazards - rooms should have very low or no thresholds between rooms and in doorways to minimize trip hazards. Even transitioning between carpet and solid surface floors can be challenging when using a wheelchair or walker. Shorter pile or commercial style carpets work better, or choose a solid surface floor throughout the home, utilizing area rugs that can be removed if the need arises to make the home more barrier-free.
Single story floor plan - stairs become a major hazard and can even make parts of your home inaccessible if you find yourself in a wheelchair or in declining health. Ideally, opting for a single story house plan can solve these issues. If you decide to have a multi-story home, be sure to place railings on both sides of the stairway and make sure it is well lit. Choose a staircase design that is not too steep. Ask your builder to make sure that the staircase could accommodate an electric wheelchair lift if the need arises in the future.
Grab bars - placing grab bars at various heights in the shower area can assist with getting in and out of the tub and provide extra security as you move around the shower. Situating bars around the toilet area is also helpful for getting up and down.
When putting in towel bars, why not choose a designer grab bar instead? Make sure the hardware is screwed directly into the wall studs for the necessary strength needed to support the extra stress of a person’s weight being applied to the bar.
While built in soap dishes and towel racks on bathroom walls may appear sturdy, they are not designed to support a person’s full weight. On tiled walls, these are normally only held in place with tile glue and plaster, which cannot support much weight or tension. Soap dishes that are fully recessed into the wall would be a better choice, and then place a grab bar inside the bath area, securely mounted for optimum strength.
Toilet and bathroom area - while you may not need a tall toilet or extra floor space in your bathroom right now, you’ll be glad you planned for the future by allowing enough space in your bathroom area for a wheelchair to enter, turn around and exit. The taller toilets normally fit in the same amount of space as a shorter one, but many homes now set the toilet in a small cubby-like area in the name of privacy. These tight places become a big nuisance for individuals who need to transfer themselves from a wheelchair to a toilet. To avoid having to knock out walls in the future, design for more functionality now.
Bath area - having a separate bath and shower can be beneficial, especially if you have enough space to create a roll-in shower with no barriers. Hand-held showers that can be mounted on a vertical bar for easy adjustment to lower levels for ease of use. Allowing space for a shower chair is also a big plus. Handles instead of knobs and slip-resistant flooring are also desirable safety factors.
Bathtubs can also be accessorized with strategically placed grab bars, hand-held shower nozzles for easier bathing, slip-resistant floor or mat and well placed soap dish and dispensers.
Tiled floors are very slippery when wet, so using nonskid mats under rugs will make safer floor areas near the tub, shower and sink.
Make sure that all power outlets are located a safe distance from wet areas and install GFCI (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter) outlets for extra safety. Consult an electrician for best practices for installing power outlets in bathroom areas.
Light switch - placing your light switch near the door will make it easy to turn on the lights before entering the room. There are some great lighting options including illuminated light switches.
Lighting throughout the house - being able to see potential hazards can help prevent accidents. Placing switches near room entrances eliminates the need to wander through a furniture-filled room to find a switch. Having three-way switches on long hallways or staircases eliminates the event of having to walk down a dark corridor. There are also some handy lighting options that plug into a standard outlet that have a light or motion sensor. They only come on when the area becomes dark, or when motion is detected. Most of these lights have tiny LED lights that use a very small amount of electricity and can light your paths throughout the home.
Emergency lighting - having alternative lighting in the event of a power outage is a good idea for everyone. There are lots of battery-powered lights that can be mounted in each room near the light switch. Keeping a flashlight by the bed and in a defined place in each room will ensure that you will have it (and be able to actually find it) when you need it. Check batteries every 6 months, around the same time you check your smoke alarm batteries.
Kitchen - having at least one lowered area where a seated person can work in the kitchen is a good option. Also allow toe space beneath your lower cabinets to allow a closer approach. If you provide enough upper and lower cabinets, you can always move items down to lower shelves and cabinets if you find it difficult to reach higher spaces.
Outside - avoid tall thresholds or step-downs at your home entryways. Plank decks and cobblestone walkways are attractive, but flat surfaces work better for walkers and wheelchairs. Also pay attention to the width of sidewalks. Many homebuilders install narrow sidewalks and porches to save money on construction costs, but narrow walkways do not allow ample space for wheelchairs and walkers.
Visit the original article for photos and a listing of some other websites you can check out for more information and ideas on home safety.