Caregivers in Saratoga CA
As a family caregiver, safety is something that is likely always on your mind. You know that your senior faces challenges and limitations that can put their safety at risk and make them vulnerable to accidents and injuries that could compromise their mobility, health, well-being, or even longevity as they get older. Now that the New Year has come it is the ideal time for you to evaluate your parent’s home and make sure that they are as safe as possible as they age in place. This is a critical step in making sure that your parent can age in their home successfully regardless of the types of challenges that they are facing or the amount of care that they receive on a daily basis.
Use these tips to help you make your parent’s home safer for them as you move forward into the new year:
• Check the flooring. You likely already know that loose flooring covers such as rugs or runners can put your parent at risk of falls. As you are evaluating their home, however, you should consider all of the types of flooring throughout their home to determine if changes could be made to improve their safety. Flooring such as marble, smooth tile, linoleum, and waxed wood can be extremely slippery, especially when wet. Consider using no-slip finish rather than wax and replacing flooring when possible with textured tiles that provide more grip.
• Ensure the wiring is safe. Especially if your aging parent has been living in the same home for a long period, the wiring may be outdated and incapable of supporting the demands of contemporary use. This can put your parent at risk of shorts and even electrical fires. Check the outlets in each room to ensure that there are no signs of singing or breaks, and that the walls are not warm near them. If they have noticed any strange signs such as sparks or periodic outages, get in touch with a professional to have their wiring evaluated and updated if necessary.
• Consider medical home monitoring. A seemingly simple home accident can be devastating to an elderly adult. If you are not in the home with them at all times, they can be in danger of suffering such an accident and not being able to recover from it. Medical home monitoring involves a central device as well as a personal device so that if they fall, there is a fire, or they are in need of help for another reason your parent can contact a call center that will alert the proper authorities as necessary. Some are even equipped to detect falls and send help even if your parent does not press the alert button. This can give you peace of mind that help is always at hand if your parent encounters an emergency situation.
If you are concerned about your aging parent’s safety or you simply want to feel more confident that they are getting the support, encouragement, and care that they need throughout their later years to maintain a higher quality of life, consider home care for them. An in-home care provider can give your senior the personalized level of care that is designed specifically to address their individual needs and challenges while also encouraging them to keep their independence, pursue fulfillment, and stay active and engaged as they age. This can help you to feel more confident that whether you are able to be in the home with them frequently or you live at a distance and are not able to give them direct care at all times, they are in good hands and are living the life that you know they deserve.
If you or an aging loved one are considering hiring caregivers in Saratoga, CA, please contact the caring staff at Home Helpers today (408) 259-5930.