Home safety precautions all elderly citizens should take
In 2015, two firefighters attending a blaze in Akron fell through the first floor and into the basement. Lucky for them, they were able to get out relatively unhurt.
However, while they were trained, and heavily protected professionals, thousands of Americans the country over hurt themselves every year because their homes are unsafe. It is even worse for senior citizens who are not only often less able to maintain a home, but are more likely to fall and hurt themselves seriously than younger residents.
Every year there are over 8 million emergency room visits because of falls. Sixty percent of those who die from falling are over the age of 75. This has included my own grandmother, who recently had a fall at home which helped highlight to us some of the things we needed to do to make the home safer for her. There are many other safety precautions all families should consider for their loved ones. It is important to develop a checklist, which should be broken down into:
· Fire safety
· Bathroom safety
· Bedroom safety
· Kitchen safety
· Living room safety
· Staircase safety
This is why I have drawn up a complete set of criteria and safety points to consider for each room and area within the home. You can find out about each of these and more with my full safety checklist for seniors, available here.
