Keeping Safe at Home

Does this sound familiar to you? "I am not leaving this house until they carry me out, feet first!" If you are looking for improvements that might help you stay safely in your home as you age or help you if you have pain, this may provide you with some basics.

Steps

Obviously, steps are a fact of life in many homes in this area. One floor living is the ideal situation for someone with mobility problems - sleeping, bathing, laundry and living rooms all on one floor makes life a great deal simpler. But, not everyone has the space to arrange for this. So, if you have to use steps, it is worth the investment to have hand rails on BOTH sides of the stairs. This sounds pretty basic, but not many homes have that as a standard. For an elder with arthritis or other problem, having the ability to use both arms with their legs adds stability, going both up and down steps. With the explosion of home improvement stores in the area, you can find a wide selection of styles and shapes in stock. The installation is pretty simple, and just takes basic tools.

Handles

Folks with arthritis in their hands at any age have trouble with some handles. It is recommended that 'lever style' handles are used wherever possible, for both inside and outside doors, and for plumbing fixtures. There are many styles and finishes to match existing dÈcor, and a selection of both single and double lever style plumbing handles. These styles are much easier to both open and close, whether you are opening a door or a faucet. And, for kitchen and bath cabinets, "C" styles with a return offering a larger target area are easier to grasp than small knobs.

Lighting

The most important thing with lighting is that there is plenty of it! Look for shadows caused by lighting, and try to eliminate them, particularly over stairs or in narrow hallways. Consider adding windows, skylights or light tubes for more natural light. For switches, it is recommended that elders use the large rocking switches available now, rather than the traditional toggle switches. They work back and forth very gently, and have a much larger area. Make certain that there are sufficient night lights between the sleeping area and bathroom.

Bathrooms

Chair height toilets are worth the investment for safety and comfort. These don't look like the clunky ADA toilets of the past, and that extra height (about 3 to 4 inches) makes a big difference when it is time to get up. Make sure that there is at least one grab bar, firmly attached to the wall or from the back wall to the floor. Not many folks take tub baths as they get older, so consider a walk-in shower stall. There are now styles that conform to the plumbing of the tub for easier installation. Many styles have grab bars and seats built right in. Add a removable hand-held shower head and the bather will experience ease and complete control. If a shower stall isn't an option, have at least one vertical grab bar at the tub entry, and another angled one on the back wall to help getting up and down. Or, use a portable tub chair (some are extra wide, and span the tub side for extra stability), again with a hand-held shower head, and have safety and comfort.

Passavant Retirement Community Marketing Director, Ann Mutmansky, can be reached at 724-452-1620, or at amutmansky@lutheranseniorlife.org.

Call or email for a free brochure on how to avoid falls in the home.