More and more elderly adults are choosing “Aging in Place” over retirement homes, or living with immediate family.
And It makes sense. Not only do seniors that remain independent have better health outcomes, they also report drastically higher quality of life and productivity.
And it makes sense. In many cases this is a home that they may have been occupying for decades, with friends, community, and activities they have enjoyed for the majority of their adult lives.
However, as aging challenges a senior’s ability to live independently, it is important that they are able remain in the homes they love, safely. We’ve built this list of tips to help you ensure aging parents and loved ones enjoy the increased quality of life and activity from remaining in their home, while providing you peace-of-mind that your loved ones are safe.
1. Check the Bathroom:
Because of wet, slippery surfaces, the bathroom is one of the top rooms that result in injury in the elderly.
Ensure that bath mats, and shower floors, are protected with high-grip coatings.
Install grip bars near the shower, and toilet. Consider the benefits of having the washroom converted to have a push button lock.
A handheld showerhead is often easier to use, and can prevent strains and falls when moving in the shower.
Ensure a nightlight is present to prevent injuries in the dark for nightly bathroom trips.
2. Fire and CO2 protection
These are immediate threats to any household, however traditional alarms may not suffice for the elderly. Impaired hearing, or dementia may prevent immediate response to alarms signaling these threats.
Consider a monitored smoke, and CO2 alarm. This will allow for you to be notified should there be an alarm, and ensure that emergency services arrive regardless of your loved one’s intervention. Learn more about alarm monitoring here.
3. Fall prevention
One of the greatest threats to the independence of the elderly is a Slip-and-Fall. Help prevent slips by:
Removing throw rugs with no rubberized backing.
Avoiding extension cords across the floor.
Removing unnecessary furniture, and clutter.
Consider purchasing a Fall protection device. They allow for complete peace of mind that your aging parent will be attended to quickly in the event of a fall, even if they are unresponsive.
“A monitored fall prevention device can result in drastically improved outcomes in the event of a fall. Immediate medical attention can often reduce the impact of a fall, and in some cases, save a life.”
4. Security
Living alone at an advanced age can be daunting, and often times the peace-of-mind provided by a monitored security system can help ease your loved ones mind.
Look into monitored solutions. This will ensure that you will receive an alert if your loved ones’ security system is triggered, and that the appropriate first responders arrive in a timely fashion.
These security systems can be integrated with smoke alarms, and CO2 detectors for added security.
Worried about you loved one arming and disarming the device? You can set up arming and disarming from YOUR device, to ensure false alarms are minimized, and they are protected when it counts.
Not only can these monitoring solutions prevent intrusion, it can also ensure that you receive notification should your loved one choose to leave the house during the night, or at any other time unexpectedly.
5. Sensors and automation.
Many people don’t realize that through alarm.com sensors and automation, you have options for monitoring the well-being and safety of your loved ones remotely to facilitate aging in place, even at advanced age, or with dementia concerns. An integrated Alarm.com wellness package can offer:
Sensors on doors, beds, and toilets: This ensures that your loved ones are waking up, using the washroom, and ensures they are moving and living as usual.
Camera systems can be integrated in low-profile units to let you check in on your parents, and provide you peace-of-mind that all is well.
Smart home automation allows you to ensure doors are locked, stoves and lights are turned off, and shutters are drawn, from your mobile phone.
Behavioral analysis technology can present a standard picture of your loved ones day, and notify you when unusual activity takes place. This allows you to catch health concerns earlier, and help prevent complications.
Ensuring that your loved ones are able to stay in their home as long as possible may be as simple as a call, or check in once a week. However with a few tips, and some professional help, your loved ones may be able to stay in their home longer, and remain more active and healthy than ever before.
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