When taking care of a senior loved one, there are many things you need to think about. For example, you need to think about whether to give them space or be there all the time, whether they are healthy and well, and whether they are safe. Safety is a particular concern, especially in cases where a loved one has been diagnosed with dementia. There are other safety concerns you need to think about, and we will be addressing them below.
Make the Home Safer
Because your loved one will be spending a lot of time at home, it is important to make the home as safe as possible. Since slips and falls are a major cause of injury among seniors, it is important to address this first. Remove or tape down anything they can slip or trip on. This includes carpets and mats.
Second, ensure they have lots of options for holding themselves up. The stairs can be dangerous for seniors, especially those who lose their balance, and so you should address their safety. You could ensure the handrails are sturdy and not so smooth that someone would slip on them if they used them to hold themselves up.
Next, you should take care of the bathroom. There are special bathroom additions like rails and bathtubs that make showering or bathing safer for seniors.
Consider Short Term Senior Care
When you are the primary caregiver, you might not have much time to go outside because you spend a lot of your time caring for a loved one. However, you will be required to go out of town or might want to take a vacation to relax and give yourself some alone time. In these instances, leaving a senior loved one at home alone is not an option and this is where a short-term care arrangement could be beneficial. Facilities that offer short term assisted living, such as Belmont Village, have all the amenities and help your loved one needs while you are away or when you need a break to think about options that would benefit them.
Prevent Wandering
As seniors get older, they forget where they are and this can cause wandering, which can be very dangerous if they live in a busy neighbourhood. To help keep them safe, it is important to use devices that let you know if a loved one is wandering in the house. These devices should also be set up to notify you if a loved one leaves the house.
Ensure Easy Identification
If your loved one routinely goes outside by themselves, it is important that they have more than one form of identification on them. This way, if they remove or lose one, they can still be identified if they get lost.
Age affects everyone differently and some loved ones might need more care than others. Of importance is keeping them safe because seniors can be in danger or get into dangerous situations without them or their caregiver noticing.