The number of people over 75 living alone is increasing enormously, calculated the Central Bureau of Statistics. Seniors who want to stay at home are at quite a high risk of falling life-threatening. With a few simple ‘home improvements‘ in the house, the chance of falling in the house is much smaller.
This is how you easily make a home safe for the elderly:
1. Light in the darkness!
Accidents often happen because people don’t see where they are going. This happens in traffic, but also indoors. The use of bright, energy-efficient lamps can make a big difference. So take a good look at the house in the evening, so that underexposed corners in the house can be spotted quickly. Also consider installing a night light with a sensor, which turns on when you visit the toilet at night.
2. Make the bathroom fall-proof
For many elderly people, the bathroom is one of the most dangerous rooms in the house, if not the most dangerous. With a number of handles near the toilet and in the shower or bath, the elderly have something to hold on to when they are in an uncomfortable position. Handles cost little money and can be attached very easily!
3. Take unnecessary furniture to the thrift store
Over the course of your life, people often collect a lot of furniture. Some furniture has emotional value or is simply a waste to throw away. With all that furniture, a house quickly turns into a dangerous obstacle course. An easy way to make the house safer and more comfortable is to select the furniture that can be removed. The cycle is happy with it and a good cause is supported: a win-win situation!
4. Technical gadgets
If someone has trouble hearing, a phone with a flashing light or a loud ringtone can make it easier to know when a call is coming. What can also be very reassuring, it is a Senior Citizen Alarm. This can be hung around the neck and provides personal assistance after a fall or when someone suddenly feels unwell. One press of a button is enough to call for help.
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5. Avoid falling down the stairs
A stairlift can mean the difference between living at home and moving to an adapted senior home. Many people are very fond of their own home and do everything they can to live here as long as possible. A stairlift may then be the solution. Unfortunately, the costs of a stairlift do not lie. A new stairlift costs between 2,000 euros and 13,000 euros, depending on the number of bends in the stairlift. Fortunately, nowadays you can also buy a second-hand stairlift , completely safe, checked and much cheaper.
With the tips above, the chance of falling is much smaller, and everyone will sleep more peacefully, knowing that the house is safe you can also call for help like ‘ Gogrit ‘ that can assist the seniors in making the phase of old age comfortable.