Home Safety
GENERAL INFORMATION:
What is home safety? Your home can be a safe place by making a few changes around the house. It is important to make sure your home is safe if you or a family member is recovering from an illness. This is also true when you or someone you live with uses a cane, walker, wheelchair, or is elderly. Listed below are many ways to help make your home a safer place.
All Areas:
Electrical Cords:
- Make sure all electrical cords are in good condition. Do not use any piece of equipment if the cord is torn.
- Keep all electrical cords out of the way of traffic, including telephone cords.
- Cover electric outlets with safety plugs to keep children from hurting themselves.
Fire and Burn Safety:
- Have smoke or heat detectors installed. Check the batteries in the detectors and replace when dead. Or, replace the batteries twice a year on the first of January and again on the first of July.
- Know what the fire escape route is from each room of your home.
- Consider having a fire escape or portable ladder installed in rooms on the second floor or higher.
- Cover any exposed heating pipes and radiators to prevent burns.
- Have the furnace checked and cleaned each year.
- Set the temperature of the water heater no higher than 120°F (48.8°C). This will prevent family members from being burned.
- Keep gasoline in safety approved and labeled container in the garage. Keep the contain- er away from open flames. Also, keep it away from paper, rags, and other things that burn easily.
Floors:
- Remove area and throw rugs if you have a family member who uses a cane, walker, wheelchair, or is elderly. Or have all the edges nailed down. This will help prevent falls.
- Thick carpet can make movement difficult if you are in a wheelchair or use a walker with wheels. You may need to replace wall-to-wall carpet with a thinner brand.
- Tape or nail down any loose edges of carpet.
- Have any holes and rough areas in the floor, steps, or sidewalks repaired.
- Keep traffic areas and the floor free of clutter.
- If you spill something, wipe it up as soon as possible to prevent falls.
Lighting:
- Make sure all rooms and hallways are well lit.
- Place bright night lights in hallways and rooms to make it safe if you or a family member gets up at night.
- Check lamps to make sure you are using the right bulb. The lampshade can burn if the bulb is too bright for that lamp.
Stairways:
- Put brightly colored tape on the edges of steps if you do not see well. This will help you see where to put your foot.
- Make sure there are secure handrails in all stairways.
Wheelchair Access:
- Install ramps outside doors to help wheelchair-bound people come and go if needed.
- Also have ramps installed over raised doorsills so that wheelchairs can move easily from room to room.
- Widen door frames if needed so a wheelchair can go easily through the door.
Bathroom:
- Put grab bars on bathtub and shower walls. Also put grab bars on the wall next to the toilet.
- Place nonskid strips or a tub mat on the floor of the bathtub and shower.
- If you have trouble getting into or out of the bathtub, try placing a tub seat in the bathtub. Or, a plastic chair can be put in the shower so you can sit while showering. Make sure the chair has nonskid feet. This will keep it from slipping when you sit down.
- Attach a hand-held showerhead. This will make it easier to rinse while sitting on a chair in the bathtub or shower.
- Have easy-to-turn handles put on your shower/bathtub and sink handles.
- Use a high-rise toilet seat if you have problems getting up or down from the toilet.
- Place another chair with nonskid feet by the sink. You can then sit down if you get tired or become faint while working at the sink.
- Hang mirrors, shelves, and racks at a level low enough to reach if you are in a chair or wheelchair.
- Unplug electrical appliances when not using. Keep the electrical appliances away from water.
Bedroom:
- Make sure the bed cannot move when you sit down. Do this by taking off the wheels if it has any.
- You may want to use an electric hospital bed if you are weak or confused. Overhead trapeze bars can be hooked to the bed frame. You can use this trapeze to raise yourself up and move in bed. Keep the side rails up to prevent you from falling. Make sure the wheels of the bed are locked.
- Put a bell or whistle within reach so that you can call someone if you need help.
- Keep a phone beside your bed to use if you have an emergency and need help right away.
- Make sure you can easily reach a bedside lamp. If you get up at night, always turn the bedside lamp on first. This will help prevent falls. Keep a flashlight with good batteries on your bedside table if you cannot put a lamp by your bed.
- Keep a commode chair, urinal, or bedpan close to the bed if needed.
Kitchen:
- Put a small fire extinguisher within easy reach and teach family members how to use it. Have the fire extinguisher checked as often as recommended by the company that made it.
- You may need to reorganize your kitchen. Put the cooking supplies, food, dishes, and pans that you use the most where you can easily reach them.
- You may need to have your kitchen counters lowered if you are in a wheelchair.
- Keep knives and other sharp objects away from children.
- Keep pot handles turned in. This will keep someone from hitting the handle and causing the pot to fall.
Living Room:
- Have your furniture moved if needed so that you can move easily through the room.
- Add extra cushions as needed to raise the height of chairs or couches. This will make it easier to stand up and sit down.
- Put a phone where you can easily get to it.
Source: Copyright © MICROMEDEX Inc. 1974-2001 All rights reserved. The CareNotes System Vol. 21, expires 12/2001.
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