Potential Hazards Inside Your Home
When living with an aging family member, you should keep home safety at the forefront of your mind. You want to minimize the chance of an accident. Keep yourself informed on the potential hazards inside your home so you can address them before they cause issues.
Elevated or Slippery Floors
Elevated areas, namely staircases and slippery bathroom floors, are often at the root of falls in homes. Falls are one of the main causes of death in residential spaces. For older people, falls can be especially serious, since they’re more susceptible to harm and won’t heal as quickly as younger people. Stop falls from happening by making sure that stairs in your house have sturdy handrails and are well-lit. For bathrooms, you can switch out the usual smooth tiled surfaces for carpet and place rubber mats on the floor to improve traction. Having a seat in the bathtub can also help elderly individuals stay safe while showering.
A Lack of Carbon Monoxide Detectors
Carbon monoxide is a highly dangerous potential hazard inside your home because it’s a colorless and odorless gas. When inhaled, it can displace oxygen in your bloodstream, which your body needs to survive. For the sake of everyone in your home, you should install carbon monoxide detectors. They can alert you when carbon monoxide is in the air. With many common things producing this deadly substance, such as gas stoves, cars, and clothes dryers, you must have detectors. Don’t forget to test them periodically, too.
Disorderly Electrical Wires
Disorderly electrical wires are dangerous. When they lay on the middle of the floor, an aging loved one can easily trip over them. In addition, wires can cause fires. You should learn to tidy up electrical devices in your home. This could mean simply organizing appliances and their corresponding wires so they’re out of the way of people walking and away from water. This will prevent them from electrocuting someone. You should also consider whether you’re straining outlets. Using too many power strips and other add-ons increases the risk of fires. If necessary, redistribute where you plug things in and unplug devices when they’re not in use.