For Safety's Sake - Accident Prevention For Seniors

Nothing is ever 100 percent certain in our world. The “best laid plans” are sometimes turned upside down by unexpected circumstances. That said, don’t stop at least attempting to have all of your bases covered! Especially when it comes to safety and accident prevention in the homes of seniors and the elderly.

If you have a friend or family member who is elderly and whose desire it is to be independent—especially if he or she lives alone—you may want to pay them a visit and have a look around their living quarters. Take a common sense, preventative approach when you survey their surroundings and take steps to eliminate or diminish hazards around the home. Create a checklist and go about the business of addressing and correcting possible dangerous situations.

Here are some areas to pay attention to:

· Check smoke detectors to make sure that they are working properly and that the batteries are fully charged.

· Check electrical and telephone cords and make sure that high traffic areas are clear of them (it may be a good idea to tape cords down).

· Check rugs and carpets to assure that there are no uneven areas that would be easy to trip on.

· Check around the oven and stove area. Make sure that there is nothing flammable or combustible—including towels—near the heating elements.

· Make sure electrical appliances are a safe distance from sinks and water sources.

· Judge if handrails or grip bars might be necessary in certain areas of the house, especially in the bathroom.

· Make sure that the dwelling is well-lit, and replace any burned-out light bulbs.

· Check electrical outlets to make sure that there are no overloaded sockets or possible shock hazards.

Even if the senior’s dwelling is in good shape safety-wise, accidents, falls or illness can still occur. That is why it’s always a good idea to have a backup plan in the form of a good home medical monitoring and medical alert system. Carefully research home medical monitoring companies and choose one with a good track record. Make sure that the company runs and maintains its own monitoring service and doesn’t outsource monitoring services. (Or you can have the senior medical alert device alert emergency services directly.)

The senior wears a medical alert button in and around the home. Most medical alert buttons are available either in bracelet or necklace styles. The senior simply presses the alert button if they need help. A home medical alarm system may also feature other services such as heat detection and fall sensors where, if an elderly individual falls and is not able to reach his or her alert button, emergency services will be contacted.

Another protective feature in many home medical monitoring services is a two-way intercom system where a representative can speak with the injured or fallen party and notify emergency services if there is no response. Other senior alert systems will check on an individual throughout the day and will alert an emergency response if that person can’t be reached.

Physical injury is not the only thing to be vigilant about when it comes to protecting our elderly friends and loved ones. There are many scams out there aimed at draining seniors of their life savings. Keep your eyes open for mail or email (if they spend time on the internet) that appears to be illegitimate. Also, assist seniors with their finances whenever possible. If it’s alright with them, help them with their bills and make sure that their assets are protected.

By: R.Clark

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About the Author: Rhonda Clark, a team member at Alert1, is the author of this article about elderly home medical monitoring in the form of senior alert systems. Life-Response offers protection during a personal emergency through 24-hour emergency medical help available at the press of a button.