Helping an Elderly Loved One Stay in Good Health: Advice

Posted on: 12 June 2017

If you have an elderly loved one living at home on their own, it's definitely important to take immediate action to ensure that they are safe. After all, there are many safety concerns that arise when an elderly loved on is living alone, especially with deteriorating health. This includes slips and falls, burglary, and issues taking medication. Here are five tips that can help you take action to keeping your elderly loved on safe in the comfort of their own home:

1. Adjust the Water Heater Temperature: If your loved one is forgetful, then adjusting the water heater temperature can go a long way. This is because it is going to prevent your loved one from turning the hot water on potentially too high only to end up burning themselves. 
2. Get Rid of Tripping Hazards: Tripping hazards can include cords that are strewn across the floor that need to be tucked away. You should also look for carpet that is coming up at the edges of a doorway, which is also a tripping hazard and needs to be nailed back into the floor. Looking for these little things can help clear paths in the home for your elderly loved one to walk safely. 
3. Install Hand Rails: Hand rails throughout the home can help significantly. These should definitely be installed in the shower, but you can also install them in the kitchen, hallway, or any other area where your loved one might be walking and need to regain their balance for whatever reason.
4. Install New Lighting: All the bulbs in the home should be replaced with LED bulbs, which are much brighter than other generic bulbs. You should also consider adding lighting where it might be lacking, such as on the pathway leading up to the home, in the hallway, and in the bedroom. This way, your loved one can easily see where they are going, which is also going to prevent falls. Aside from this, you should also be sure that there is plenty of lighting in the yard to deter theft. It's much more difficult for a burglar to stay well hidden in the yard if it's heavily lit at night. 
5. Hire In Home Health Care: Finally, you shouldn't hesitate considering the help of in home health care professionals. They can help your loved one remember to take their medicine, escort them to the grocery store, and cook for them, as well, which can definitely help take some of the stress off your own shoulders. 

When you consider these five tips, helping your elderly loved one at home is going to go a long way to keeping them safe. 

For more information, you will want to contact a company such as Neighbors Home Care Services.