Having the right equipment in your home can make senior care, and especially in-home care, a lot easier to administer. If your elderly loved ones have trouble getting around the house, using the bathroom, or preparing meals for themselves, things can sometimes be made easier just by purchasing a few pieces of helpful equipment.
Here, we will break things down room by room so that you can get some ideas about what might help make your family members’ lives a little easier.
Bathroom
The bathroom is one of the most dangerous rooms in the house. There is always a risk of slipping and falling on wet floors, electrical shocks, and a wide assortment of other injuries. Luckily, a few easy installations can drastically reduce the chances of this happening. For one, make sure that bars are installed to help your loved one get around easier. They can be put in the shower area, near the toilet, or along walls. These all help make transitions easier, and they can help your elderly loved one move around with a lower likelihood of slipping or tripping. Having a shower chair can reduce stress on legs while cleaning, too. Also, some seniors find that getting on and off the toilet is made easier with a toilet booster chair. It reduces the distance between the toilet seat and a wheelchair, and it makes transitioning on and off a lot easier.
Kitchen
One simple fix in the kitchen (or dining room, if space is limited) is to purchase a lower table. It gives wheelchair bound seniors easier access to counter space and makes it a bit easier to prepare and eat meals. It also gives them an easy to use workspace if they want a place to sit and read, write, or paint. Having handles or supports located in strategic (but secure) places can also be of help. This will make sure that there are things to hold onto if they lose their balance and can even prevent that from happening in most cases if they are used as a preventative measure.
Miscellaneous
Having little things around to prevent accidents are always helpful and they can be used anywhere. Canes and walkers are invaluable as they provide support everywhere. Proper fitting clothes that allow a free range of motion are also a must. So are no-slip shoes. If tying shoes becomes a problem for some reason, you can also get velcro shoes, too. There are tons of options here, but the bottom line is that you want shoes that will reduce the likelihood of falling, even if the floor is wet or slippery. Make sure that they fit right, and you will see a far less chance of an accident. Having an in-home caregiver can also help as they can ensure that walkways and stairs are clear of trip hazards and that needless walking is eliminated. Space carpets in some areas can also help as they will provide better traction than a wood or linoleum flooring will. Just make sure these are free of bumps and wrinkles so extra hazards are not created.
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