Tips to Help Older People Stay Safe and Well at Home
Good home safety is all about accident prevention. Here’s a basic guide to some of the things you can do to make the different areas of your home safer.
Good home safety is all about accident prevention – taking the time to look around your home and spot any ‘accidents waiting to happen’ will pay off big time.
Most home safety is simply common sense, but it’s easy to miss some things until it’s too late. Here’s a basic guide to some of the things you can do to make the different areas of your home safer. You’ll no doubt find other improvements you could make if you go around your home with your health and safety’ hat on!
Kitchens are a common area for accidents, with hot surfaces and naked flames found there. Invest in a dry powder fire extinguisher for the kitchen and learn how to use it before you need to. Pans on the stove should have handles turned inwards, and sharp knives should be stored safely when not in use. Keep flammable objects away from hot surfaces and use good quality oven gloves when handling hot objects. Keep any electrical devices away from water. Clear up wet or dry spills right away – you can slip on rice or flour as easily as water. If you deep-fry, learn how to contain a fire with a damp towel or fire blanket. If there’s a microwave fire, keep the microwave door closed and unplug it. Keep things you use regularly within easy reach so you don’t have to stretch or climb.
Hallways often have hard floors and can become slippery when wet. If you tread rain or mud into the hallway, don’t leave it there for the next person to slip on – mop it up. Hallway mats or rugs should have a non-slip backing. Hallways are also walkways so try to avoid clutter and trip hazards.
Living rooms in modern homes are usually full of electrical gadgets. Avoid having trailing wires or power cables, or running them under carpets or rugs. Doing either of these can cause trips and falls or a fire hazard when unseen cables become worn. Don’t overload electrical sockets. If you have an open fire or solid fuel burner, it should be regularly maintained, including an annual inspection and cleaning of the chimney or flue. Use a fireguard to catch sparks, especially if you leave the room. Make sure seating is strong and solid, especially if you tend to ‘drop down’ onto a chair. If you have pets, make sure their toys are regularly tidied away so you don’t trip over them.
Basements and cellars are often used for storage, but you should avoid storing any flammable materials beneath your home, for obvious reasons! Ensure the steps to your basement are well-lit and in good condition. Painting the bottom step white and marking step edges with anti-slip hazard tape will aid visibility. If there are domestic appliances in the basement, make sure they’re in good condition and always unplugged or switched off at the power socket when not in use. If you have free-standing storage shelves, make sure they’re stable (not top-heavy) and don’t overload them.
A utility room or laundry is a great addition to any home, but it can also be the source of a fire. If you have a tumble dryer it will have a lint trap which should be cleaned out after every use. A build-up of lint is a real fire hazard. Make sure you also clean out the dryer vent hose regularly using a long brush and don’t run the dryer when you’re not at home. Washing machines can also catch fire so again, don’t have it running when no-one’s home. Keep any electrical items away from water sources and mop up any spills.
A garage, workshop, or storage shed is another potential fire hazard if you don’t take some simple precautions. Any flammable liquids, such as fuel for a mower or paint thinners, should be kept to a minimum, stored in suitable containers away from heat sources, and checked regularly. Try to minimize clutter in your garage; suitable wall hooks for things like garden tools or bicycles will help. Check the floor regularly for oil or fuel spills – if you find them, clean them up and find the source. Never leave a vehicle engine running in an enclosed garage, leading to a build-up of toxic carbon monoxide fumes.
Bedrooms often feel like the safest place in the home, but are they? Avoid trip hazards, including loose or ‘turned up’ rugs, especially if you need to get up in the night. Electric blankets should be inspected every year and discarded if worn or frayed. Don’t overload electrical sockets and never fall asleep with something like a laptop in the bed. It goes without saying that smoking in bed is extremely dangerous. If you need to get up high – to change a lightbulb or maybe retrieve something from the top of a wardrobe – always use a sturdy stepladder, not a wobbly chair. If you use portable heaters or fans to make the bedroom warmer of cooler, make sure they’re in an open space, and don’t leave them switched on if you’re not in the room. Keep a flashlight handy in case of a power cut.
Bathrooms have lots of hard surfaces and edges so a slip or fall could be very serious. Mop up any water spills or splashes and only use non-slip rubber-backed mats. If you struggle to get in and out of the bath, consider extra handrails or a bath lift. Similarly, grab rails are helpful in the shower, where you might consider a shower seat and handheld shower head if you struggle to stand. Always check the water temperature in a bath or shower before getting in. Never use an electrical extension to take ‘plugged in’ devices into a bathroom; electricity and water is a deadly combination. If you like to listen to the radio while you’re in the bath or shower, use a battery-powered model.
Stairs are probably the most dangerous place in your home to have a trip or fall. Make sure your stairs are always free of clutter. It’s tempting to put things on the stairs ready for the next time you go up, but you’re creating a potential accident. Stairs are not for storage. Check that stairs carpets aren’t worn or loose. Handrails and banisters should be securely fixed and stairs should be well lit. Don’t climb the stairs in ‘sloppy fitting’ shoes or slippers, or long flowing clothes which you could trip on. If decreasing mobility or a health condition mean you no longer feel safe on the stairs, consider investing in a home stairlift as an accident prevention measure.
General home safety measures can be applied throughout the home. For example, having a number of dry powder fire extinguishers around your home is a good idea. Smoke detectors should also be installed in strategic locations throughout the home and tested regularly, with the batteries changed once a year. Carbon monoxide detectors are also a good idea, to warn you of any build-up of this toxic gas which is given off by anything that burns. Some detectors combine both functions. Make sure you have good lighting throughout your home, especially on staircases. Use high-wattage bulbs, but don’t exceed the stated limit of the socket you’re fitting them to. You should also work out an emergency escape plan for your home, so you know how to get out of any room in the event of a fire. For upper storey rooms this might mean emergency fire escape ladders which can be unrolled from a window.