5 tips for making an elderly relative’s home more accessible
Within the next ten years, the number of people and families with elderly relatives to care for is likely to exponentially increase, with the old in some Western populations actually likely to outnumber the young by the early 2020s. This means that more and more families will have to make long-term plans to care for a relative into old age. The added pressure of a rising elderly population will manifest itself in more money needed for public and social care provision.
In order to both save money and (more importantly) provide a more comfortable and enjoyable experience for our elderly loved ones who are in need of social care, it’s going to be necessary to make more provisions for our older friends and relatives to be cared for in their home.
There are a number of different types of accessibility alterations which may be required if your elderly loved one suddenly has difficulty getting around the house. These include:
• Help accessing a home (e.g. ramps or hand rails when approaching the front door).
• Help getting around a home (e.g. ramps, stair lifts, more grab rails and handles for getting up and down stairs/ in and out of rooms.)
• Help with mobility in the kitchen and bathroom.
• Help with visibility/poor vision in the home
• Alarm/warning systems in the event of an accident or fall.
These are the main types of obstacles which an elderly relative may face as they deal with the difficult challenges and lifestyle alterations caused by decreased mobility in old age. Below are 5 of the most useful tips which could make all the difference, and hopefully ensure that your elderly friend or family member lives a much happier and fulfilled life.
1. Move the essentials downstairs
Moving all the essential facilities in your house to the ground floor can be the simplest way to improve overall access and ease any potential mobility issues which an elderly loved one may face. If there’s a way of suitably renovating the house so that there’s access to a bedroom, dining area and living quarters on the ground floor, then this will minimize the risk of any trips, falls, emergencies or accidents.
The decision to move all the major facilities/core rooms in a home to one floor may form part of a wider conversation about whether an elderly relative may wish to downsize to a bungalow, or a house with easier accessibility built in to the design.
2. Make bathrooms easier to use
Bathing and washing are the most private and essential of daily rituals, and a person’s ability to bathe and wash safely and easily is arguably central to their sense of dignity and self-esteem. This means that accessibility improvements to a bathroom are arguably some of the most urgent alterations you can/should be making to a home.
Helpful structural changes to a bathroom include:
• Level access/walk in showers, ensuring that an elderly person doesn’t have any immediate trip hazards, and minimising the risk of falls as they get in or out of the bath/shower.
• Handrails mounted to the walls, should an elderly relative require help getting up off the toilet.
• Removing any other extraneous trip hazards, such as bath mats or even ripping up tiled surfaces which may inadvertently mean a person could slip or trip when the surface becomes wet.
3. Stair/wheel chair lifts
These can be an essential addition to any household and are once again an invaluable tool for minimising trips and falls. If your elderly friend or loved one is adamant that they don’t want to make too many major changes to their day-to-day lifestyle and want to keep their room layout broadly the same, then a chair lift can be a great way to maintain both continuity and guarantee safety. Installation and maintenance are increasingly simple.
4. Replacing household accessories
By this, we mean replace everyday household accessories which control the day-to-day operation of the house. These include light switches and door handles. Switching your existing light switches to touch lights or dimmer switches can give an elderly relative an opportunity to take advantage of more subtle lighting states, which is especially useful if they are partially sighted/having difficulty seeing in darker rooms. Likewise, replacing any door knobs with lever handles is an easy way to ensure that your elderly relative can enjoy easier mobility when moving between rooms.
Likewise, re-arranging kitchen drawers and storage to make it more easily accessible is another straightforward way of improving accessibility and minimizing risk.
5. Installing a personal alarm system
This may be a source of understandable reluctance for someone who may be having to confront problems with mobility. After all, conceding that you need some of kind of emergency back-up system can, in turn, feel like an admission of vulnerability, and preparing for a worst-case scenario that none of us want to think about as we get older.
Nevertheless, installing a personal alarm system in the event of any serious accident or fall is a vital last line of defense in ensuring that your elderly relative or loved one is safe and secure in their own home.
A number of telecare systems allow a homeowner to alert a carer or member of the emergency services should they find themselves falling victim to a trip, fall or major accident.
Encore Care Homes offer care homes across the south of England. Their private homes offer palliative care, short-term respite care, long-term residential, and nursing care.
4 Home Improvements Caregivers Should Make
Paige A. Mitchell
If you’re caring for a family member at home, you’ll want to ensure your house is a safe, healthy environment for everyone involved. You’ll likely have some adjustments to make in order to make your home more comfortable for an ill or impaired loved one. Consider the four home improvements below.
1. Declutter and re-decorate
Keep floors clear of toys and shoes. Strategically rearrange the furniture, so that your loved one is able to remain stimulated and engaged while they sit. For example, they may enjoy some natural sunlight and the view of nature from a comfortable chair near a window. Personal touches and familiar objects can make Alzheimer’s patients more comfortable.
2. Enhanced access
It’s important to review each room in the house to determine how accessible it is to someone who is ill or impaired. The American Association of Retired Persons’ checklist includes zero-threshold and wide entrances for wheelchairs and walkers, low light switches and door knobs that are reachable to someone in a wheelchair, and non-slip flooring and grab bars in at least one bathroom.
3. Maintain your home
Whether you’re caring for someone who is ill or not, it’s important to conduct regular home maintenance to ensure it’s a truly healthy environment. For example, replacing batteries in smoke detectors is especially important if your loved one is forgetful and susceptible to forgetting that something is on the stove. Take full advantage of your home repair insurance to save time, energy, and money on repairs.
4. Ask for help
Fifty percent of caregivers report feeling depressed. If you’re suffering from fatigue, isolation, irritable, and/or ill, it’s important to take a step back to take care of yourself. Don’t forget to ask for help when you need it. Seek an expert opinion for objective advice on whether you should consider placing your loved one in assisted care.
Guest Blog: 10 Signs Your Aging Loved One Needs Support at Home
It can be difficult to see your parent or relative age. At one time, he could do anything. Now, it seems as though age has gotten the best of him. If you’ve seen changes in your loved one due to age, he may need extra help at home. The following are some of the most common signs of someone who is in need of a nurse or senior caregiver.
#1: Unkempt Home
If there has been a drastic change in the way that your loved one keeps his home that may be a sign he lacks the energy or physical ability to pick up and clean. Extra support at home can ensure that your loved one lives in a healthy, safe environment.
#2: Missed Medications
Forgetfulness is common in older individuals. Missing medications can lead to withdrawal and the return of symptoms of medical problems. It can lead to more serious problems as well – stroke, heart attack, etc. Help at home can remind your loved one to take medications as prescribed.
#3: Missed or Canceled Medical Appointments
Forgetfulness and the inability to drive to appointments can lead to failing health. A senior care worker can provide transportation and encouragement to attend all medical appointments.
#4: Body Odor
Just as cleaning and picking up the home can be physically demanding, taking a shower or bath is too. With someone in the home, your loved one can get the assistance needed to get into the shower and out of it to keep him clean and feeling refreshed.
#5: Sudden Change in Weight
Medical problems can cause lost pounds, but not being able to cook healthy meals can be the reason as well. Since it can be difficult to cook when feeling tired or lacking energy, someone in the home can make sure that he has meals ready or set up a meal program that gets food delivered on a schedule.
#6: Problems with Mobility
Balance and walking can be hard as people age, and this can lead to falls causing serious injuries. Help with completing daily tasks can reduce the risk of falls.
#7: Confusion or Uncertainty
This can cause a lot of distress for your loved one. Have someone there to lend an ear or explain something that doesn’t make much sense can calm the anxiety of your loved one to improve his quality of life.
#8: Depression
Losing interests in hobbies or activities he used to enjoy could be a sign of depression that can lead to many other problems. Having a caregiver provide support and encouragement can help your loved one feel better or get the mental health he needs.
#9: Mail Piling Up or Unpaid Bills
It can be easy to forget to pay a bill from time to time, but if it becomes a habit, it might be a good idea to have someone help with going through mail and managing bills. This is one of the services that senior care workers provide in addition to helping with other daily tasks.
#10: Diagnosis of an Age-Related Medical Problem
Alzheimer’s or dementia can cause a loved one to forget or engage in risky behaviors. Having someone by your loved one’s side most of the day can help minimize the risk of him hurting himself.
Your parent or relative may have taken care of you for many years. Now, it’s your turn to care for him. Home care can help you do that. Look into the many options available if your loved one exhibits any of these symptoms.
About the Author:
Kendall Van Blarcom is a licensed marriage and family therapist providing personal consulting to seniors who need someone to talk with to improve the quality of their lives. More information can be found about personal consulting at http://www.kvanb.com.