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What Five Simple Changes Can You Make to Help Your Loved One Be Safer at Home?

Senior Care in Harmarville PA: There are always more things you can do to make your loved one's home safer, but here are five fast, simple changes that yield big safety results.

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Sometimes not knowing what to change in your loved one’s home to improve the safety can make you wait longer than you want to in order to increase the safety levels. If you’re still not sure what to do to make your loved one’s home safer, hire a contractor to go through the building.

Install Grab Bars

Grab bars, also known as hand rails, are invaluable if your loved one has mobility or balance issues. You’ll want to install these in bathrooms, hallways, and stairways first. They can also be handy in other areas of the home, too, so look for anywhere that could be made safer with the installation of a hand rail or grab bar.

Change Door Knobs to Levers

If your loved one has arthritis or grip issues, door knobs can present a huge obstacle. Make life a little easier and change out traditional knobs for levers. That way your loved one can operate them by hand or even with an elbow or forearm if necessary. They’re easy to change out and your loved one will find them much easier to use.

Take Door Thresholds Out

Door thresholds can present a tripping hazard for your elderly loved one, so she’s usually better without them. If your loved one uses a walker or wheelchair, thresholds can make using those devices a little more difficult, too. Look for ways to safely remove them and make sure that you don’t leave behind a bigger safety hazard once the threshold is removed.

Install Portable Shower Chairs

Portable shower chairs and benches can make your loved one feel so much safer and more stable in the shower. It could even make the difference between her being able to shower on her own or requiring assistance every time she showers. For a loved one who wants to stay independent, this can be a huge help.

Improve Lighting

Go through your loved one’s home and make sure that all of her light fixtures and bulbs work properly. In rooms that don’t have sufficient lighting, add extra lamps or change the bulbs to a higher wattage that is still supported by that fixture. This is particularly important if your loved one has any problems with her vision.

Work with your loved one’s senior care providers to determine what else can help your loved one to be safer at home.

 

If you or an aging loved one are considering senior care in Harmarville, PA, please call and talk to the caring staff at Extended Family Care of Pittsburgh at (412) 693-6009. We will answer all of your questions.

Stephen Sternbach

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