Creating a Safe Home Environment

Creating a safe home environment is crucial for seniors transitioning to home care. Knowing the steps to take and seeking professional guidance to ensure a safe environment is essential and a source of reassurance for families preparing for in-home caregiving services. This process involves evaluating the home for potential hazards and making necessary modifications to provide a secure setting.

Recognizing safety’s importance can significantly improve and impact your elderly loved ones’ quality of life. By taking proactive steps, families can help minimize and mitigate safety risks that can lead to serious injury and harm for elderly patients, including falls and other hazards. Having a thorough home safety assessment conducted by trained professionals is highly recommended.

Families can also take various steps to identify and address potentially harmful safety hazards. Doing so will ensure an environment where seniors can feel comfortable and at ease in their homes, with the proper safeguards to maintain health, quality of life, and a sense of independence.

Know the Risks

Mitigating the risk of falls and other safety hazards is critical for older adults and caregivers. Without proper training, actions such as moving or transferring elderly patients can present serious risks, including falls and fall-related injuries. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), falls are the leading cause of unintentional, nonfatal, and fatal injuries and the most common cause of traumatic brain injuries for older adults (age 65+). In Massachusetts, falls are the leading cause of injury-related hospitalizations and Emergency Department visits, as well as the leading cause of injury-related deaths for this age group. Injuries from falls can lead to hospitalizations and severe adverse health impacts.

Steps You Can Take To Prevent Falls

One of the first steps in creating a safe home environment is to conduct a thorough assessment of the elderly patient’s living space. Begin by identifying common hazards such as:
• loose rugs
• cluttered walkways and,
• inadequate lighting

Each of these factors poses significant risk factors for trips and falls. Ensure all walking pathways are clear and any rugs are secured to the floor and do not have thick or elevated edges or have been removed. Increasing lighting in dim areas and installing night lights in hallways and bathrooms are essential to enhance visibility and safety.

Accessibility is another critical component of a safe home environment. Assess the needs of your loved one and consider modifications that can enhance their ability to navigate the home comfortably. This may include installing grab bars in the bathroom and tub area, using non-slip mats in the shower, and ensuring that frequently used items are within easy reach. Consider the home’s layout as well; if stairs pose a challenge, identify options for relocating essential items to a single-story area or using a stair lift.

It is essential to consult with your doctor and PT/OT Specialists about additional home safety evaluation and measures to mitigate the risk of falls and injury. These measures can include installing raised toilet and shower chair seats, bed guards, and handrails in key areas. Identifying and safely securing sharp objects and potentially hazardous or toxic household items such as cleaners and others is also important.

Safe Ambulation and Transfers: Get the Help You Need

Safe ambulation and patient transfers are also critical factors. Family caregivers should seek out training from healthcare professionals for proper positioning and procedures to ensure safety, including reducing risks of falls and other potential injuries such as skin tears and bruising. For family caregivers, recognizing your limitations and need for professional caregiving support is essential and can be a vital factor in keeping your loved one safe and enabling them to remain in the comfort and security of their homes. It is critical that caregivers are properly trained in safe ambulation and how to ensure proper body mechanics to protect against injury to themselves and those they are caring for. Ensuring medications are properly organized, stored, and managed is also critical.

Emergency preparedness is essential for any home environment. Equip the home with necessary safety devices such as smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors, and fire extinguishers. Regularly check that these devices are functional and replace batteries as needed. Creating an emergency plan that includes contacts for local emergency services, family members, and caregivers can provide peace of mind. Ensure your loved one knows how to use a phone to call for help in an emergency.

Safety Protocols for Memory Care Patients

Ensuring safety for patients with Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia includes a range of additional measures. These can include the use of motion sensors and audio and/or video monitoring, as well as the installation of safety locks and switches for entrances, exits, and stairways. Additional safeguards, such as implementing a wander management system, including silent monitors to detect if the patient has gotten out of bed or chair, also protect against falls, injury, and other risks.

With a safe home environment, you can help ensure that your elderly loved one enjoys a smooth and comfortable transition to home care. A thorough home safety assessment is highly recommended and can help protect elderly patients and family or private duty caregivers from injury and harm. When preparing for home care, seek the help and guidance you need to ensure a safe and healthy living environment.

At Perfect Care Match, ensuring client and caregiver safety is a priority. We implement a range of measures to identify and eliminate safety risks. Our comprehensive Home Safety Evaluations mitigate risks and hazards and meet the unique needs of each of our clients. We also implement specialized Memory Care Safety Protocols, ensuring the safety and well-being of patients with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia. We also ensure our caregivers are thoroughly trained to provide safe ambulation and transfers, infection control, medication management, and home care safety protocols.

Read more about our Home Safety Evaluations and Dementia Safety Protocols, and contact us today to learn more about our flexible caregiving models of care to meet your unique needs.

References:
The elderly are more at risk for slip and fall accidents. https://www.sskdlaw.com/blog/2020/07/the-elderly-are-more-at-risk-for-slip-and-fall-accidents/

Borcich, J. A., Ramos, R. F., & Wong, T. S. (2016). Preventing and Reducing Falls in Assisted Living Facilities: An Educational Intervention. https://doi.org/10.33015/dominican.edu/2016.OT.11