As our loved one’s year’s decline, it is only right they are allowed to spend them in comfort. The world can be a hard, grueling place, and as our years begin to dwindle, we should be afforded comfortability and luxury.
And, while the latter of those two may not always be accessible [luxury] – comfort most certainly is. There are many ways that you can make the life of an older person more comfortable, whether it be additions to their home, regular visitations, days outs, or even writing a life story. Just ensure to be available where you should be.
And, if you are not able to be there yourself, you may wish to arrange in-home care to make sure that your loved one will be supported and looked after by someone who knows what they are doing. If you would like to read more about in-home care, you can check out an Online blog article or two from Care For Family, a care provider in Australia, to get all the additional information you may feel you need.
This page will focus on additions to the home, however, and not lifestyle changes [days out, visitations, etc]. Some additions to the home of an elderly person can not only make their life comfortable but also safe.
Elderly people are far more prone to accidents in their own homes, so establishing safeguarding measures to prevent them from hurting themselves is absolutely necessary.
Nobody wants their loved ones to be uncomfortable or unsafe, and equally, we ourselves would not want to be uncomfortable or unsafe.
Here are six home additions that will help keep elderly people safe and comfortable and allow them to live out the rest of their life free from fear, anxiety, and bother.
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Raised Toilet Seats
Starting off our list of six home additions that can be of benefit to an elderly person’s home is raised toilet seats. It is often the case that as we grow older, our joints and bones begin to weaken, and we are unable to stand ourselves up from low-seated positions.
A raised toilet seat is a fantastic solution to this problem, and this is a sentiment shared by the mobility and accessibility experts from UpliftingMobility.com, who explains that raised seats can improve the quality of an elderly person’s life, and allow them more independence and freedom.
A raised toilet seat may arguably be one of the best additions you could make to the home of an elderly person.
Stairlifts
Stairlifts are another wonderful addition that you can make – and an addition that will afford your elderly loved one freedom and independence, just like raised toilet seats.
Your loved one will be able to move around their home freely without having to rely on you or a carer to help them around.
This is fantastic for most elderly people and it makes them feel a lot more independent – and it makes them a lot safer.
It is no secret that many elderly people hate being reliant on other people and will try to do things that they simply cannot just to prove a point. Climbing up and down the stairs is one of them, and they can put themselves at risk.
By having a stairlift, this will never be a problem, and they will not need to risk their lives, nor rely upon you for help. You must ensure that you have a professional install a stairlift, and equally, must ensure you source your stairlift from a reliable and experienced company.
There have been many terrible accidents that have occurred after a faulty stairlift had been fitted, or after unprofessional contractors have fitted a stairlift.
A faulty stairlift can be very dangerous and can risk the life of the person who is using it – so ensure it is always in good condition and properly installed.
Alarms
Alarm systems designed to notify the authorities if an elderly person has fallen over or are injured are a great addition that you can make to the home of an elderly person.
These alarm systems are wonderful, and not only make their lives comfortable through the knowledge that should they hurt themselves they can be found and rescued, but safer too.
Installing one of these alarm systems can be a great way to keep your loved one safe.
CCTV
Many elderly people rely upon caregivers as their families are too busy to tend to them twenty-four-seven.
Unfortunately, many caregivers have proven to be untrustworthy and dangerous, and it is common to see home video footage captured by caregivers abusing and stealing from elderly people.
Installing CCTV will keep your elderly loved one safe and allow you to check that they have not been being abused or taken advantage of.
It will also allow you to monitor the behavior and the health of your elderly loved one. And, should they hurt themselves, you will be able to determine what has really happened – this is especially beneficial if your elderly loved one suffers from a condition that affects their ability to communicate.
Ramp
A ramp to get up to their doorway could be another great addition to make for an elderly person who is in a wheelchair. Stairs can be very dangerous for elderly people, especially those who rely upon wheelchairs.
Installing a ramp [as well as having stairs present] can ensure that they are able to get in and out of their home without being in danger. Be sure to make the ramp sloped and not steep, as that is also dangerous.
Ramps can give an elderly person the freedom to travel without supervision, which for many elderly people is a Godsend.
By virtue of being older, they rely upon people for many things, but it does not necessarily mean they like to rely on others; by being able to travel alone, they will be able to be independent and free again.
Make sure you have a professional install the ramp so you can be certain it is safe and will not deteriorate over time.
Handrails
Installing handrails throughout their home wherever there are steps or slopes is a good way to ensure that your elderly loved one does not fall over or hurt themselves. Handrails are cheap, effective, and make their lives a lot more comfortable, and a darn sight safer.
Now, with the help of this page, you know six additions that can be of great benefit to the home of an elderly person, whether it be a loved one, relative, or family friend. Be sure to consider all six of these – as they all offer great benefits in their own respects.