|
About Our Company
Residential Services
Commercial Services
Handyman Solutions Specialty Services
|
Home Safety Checklist For The Elderly
Our Missouri homes fulfill many needs for us.
Often, the most basic need is for shelter from
the elements and intruders. Once we are
protected and secure, other needs can be met.
Comfort and a place for self-expression are
vital for our well-being. Home gives a feeling
of independence. Our home should also be a place
in which we can be safe from accidents and
injuries. At
Handyman
Solutions we are here to help you in that
task.
Shelter and Protection
You must feel safe and secure in order to be
able to relax, so be security conscious. Put
strong dead bolt locks on front and back doors.
If your situation allows, install a burglar
alarm system. A peephole for all outside doors
will let you can see who is at the door before
you open it. Install the peephole at the proper
height for you. The most effective peepholes
allow you to see a range of 180 degrees from
side to side.
Safety
Home accidents are a major source of injuries
and can cause death. Older persons, whose bones
are often less dense and more brittle, are
especially vulnerable to serious injuries from
home accidents. A simple fall that results in a
broken bone can become a serious, disabling
injury that limits one’s independence.
As we age, our senses of sight, touch, hearing,
and smell tend to decline. Our physical
abilities are reduced, and certain tasks such as
stretching, lifting, and bending become more
difficult. In addition, we also experience a
slowing of judgment and reaction time. As a
result, we cannot respond as quickly as when we
were younger. These normal changes in
perception, physical abilities, and judgment
makes us more prone to accidents. Simple
precautions and adjustments can help ensure a
safe, accident-free home.
Listed below, you will find a series
of checklists. Use these lists as you go through
your home. Make a check mark next to those items
or behaviors that you already have. If there are
items that you do not check, then your home is
not as safe as it could be. By improving those
items not marked, you can make your home a safer
and more comfortable place to live. While the
suggestions in this publication are for older
people, they apply to all age groups as well.
General Safety
- Emergency numbers and your address are posted by each telephone.
- Telephones are located in each room. They can be reached from the floor in
case of a fall.
- Inside and outside door handles and locks are easy to operate.
- Doors have lever-action handles instead of round knobs.
- Door thresholds are low and beveled or there are no thresholds.
- Windows open easily from the inside, but they have a secure locking system
that can prevent someone from entering from the outside.
- The water heater thermostat is set at 120 degrees F or lower to prevent
accidental scalding.
- Medications are stored in a safe place according to instructions on the
label of the package or container.
- Carpeting and rugs should not be worn or torn.
- Small, loose rugs have non-skid backing and are not placed in traffic
areas of the home.
- Appliances, lamps, and cords are clean and in good condition.
- There should be no exposed, glaring bulbs in lamps or fixtures.
- All electrical equipment bears the Underwriters laboratories (UL) label.
- Outlets should be located where they are needed in every room.
- Electrical overload protection is provided by circuit breakers, fuses, or
ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCI). GFCIs prevent electrical shock and are
particularly important in areas where water is used, such as kitchens,
bathrooms, and outside.
- Electrical service has enough capacity to serve the house and is up to
code. (You can call your municipal electrical inspector or a reputable
electrical contractor to check the wiring in your house.)
- Extension cords should not carry more than their proper load as indicated
on the cord or appliance.
- Electrical cords are placed out of the flow of traffic and out from
underneath rugs and furniture.
- Smoke alarms are present in the home and are in working order. One way to
help you remember to change the batteries is to replace them on your
birthday—don’t forget to mark it on your calendar.
Kitchen
- The range and sink areas have adequate light levels.
- If you have a gas range, it is equipped with pilot lights and an automatic
cut-off in the event of flame failure. (Your local utility service
representative can check this for you.)
- The range is not where curtains might fall onto a burner.
- If you have an exhaust hood for the oven, it has easily removable filters
for proper cleaning. Clean filters as needed.
- The kitchen exhaust system is internally vented, discharges directly
outside, or discharges through ducts to the outside and not into the attic or
other unused space.
- Countertop space lets you keep carrying and lifting to a minimum.
- Kitchen wall cabinets are not too high to be easily reached.
- Lighting of counter tops is enough for meal preparation.
- Light switches are located near the doors.
- Shiny or glaring work surfaces are not used.
- Oven controls are clearly marked and easily grasped.
- Oven controls are located on the front or side of the oven, so that you
don’t have to reach over the burners.
- A single-lever mixing faucet is used. This type of faucet controls both
the hot and cold water flow with a single control.
- Flooring is not slippery and has a non-glare surface.
- When cooking, pan handles are turned away from other burners and the edge
of the range.
- When cooking, you do not wear garments with long, loose sleeves.
- Hot pads and pan holders are kept near the range.
- If you have a microwave, it is operated only when there is food in it.
- Small appliances are unplugged when not in use.
- Knives are kept in a knife rack or drawer.
- Countertops and work areas are cleared of all unnecessary objects.
- Drawers and cupboards are kept closed.
- A sturdy, stable stepladder or step stool is used rather than a chair to
reach objects in overhead cabinets.
- Grease or liquid spills are wiped up at once.
Stairways and Halls
- Steps are in good condition and are free of objects.
- Steps have non-skid strips. Carpeting on steps is securely fastened and
free of fraying or holes.
- Smoke detectors are in place in hallways and near sleeping areas.
- Hallways are equipped with night-lights.
- Sturdy handrails are on both sides of stairway and are securely fastened.
- Light switches are located at the top and bottom of stairways and at both
ends of long hallways.
- Inside doors do not swing out over stair steps.
- There is enough space in the stairway to avoid bumping your head.
- Room entrances do not have raised door thresholds.
- It is easy to see the leading edge or nosing of each stair tread while
walking down stairs.
- Stairways and hallways are well lighted.
Bathroom
- The bathtub or shower has a non-skid mat or strips on the standing area.
- Bathtub or shower doors are safety glass or plastic.
- Grab bars are installed on the walls by the bathtub and toilet.
- The towel bars and the soap dish in the shower stall are durable and are
firmly installed.
- A single-lever mixing faucet is used, or you have faucet handles that are
easy to grasp.
- Bathroom flooring is matte-finished, textured tile, or low pile commercial
carpet (no throw rugs or bathmats).
- Bathroom has even lighting without glare. The light switch is near the
door.
- The bathroom door opens outward.
- The bathroom has a safe supplemental heat source and ventilation system.
- The outlets are ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCI) that protect
against electric shock.
Bedroom
- A lamp or flashlight is kept within reach of your bed. Check batteries
periodically to make sure they are working, and keep a spare package of
batteries nearby.
- A night-light is used to brighten the way to the bathroom at night.
- Plenty of room is left for you to walk around the bed.
- You have an adequate-sized nightstand or small table for the telephone,
glasses, or other important items.
- There is a sturdy chair with arms where you can sit to dress.
- You have wall-to-wall low pile carpeting or a smooth surface floor.
- Your bedroom is located on the first floor of the home. A telephone jack
is installed in the
room.
Outdoor Area
- Steps and walkways are in good condition.
- Handrails are sturdy and securely fastened.
- Doorways, steps, porches, and walkways have good lighting.
- Porches, balconies, terraces, window wells, and other heights or
depressions are protected by railings, closed with banisters, closed with
fences, closed with accordion gates, or are otherwise protected.
- Hedges, trees, or shrubs do not hide the view of the street.
- Garage doors are easy for you to operate, even when snow is piled against
them.
|
