Safety for older consumers home safety checklist cpsc. Whether they want to continue driving, caring for themselves, or interacting with their friends and communities in the ways that they always have, living alone is a major benefit for many seniors around the country. The good news is that there are simple and easy steps that families can take to protect their children. In part two of home safety for seniors, home improvement expert brad staggs provides some simple tips on how to keep your house safe. People can be poisoned by food, household cleaners soaps and bleaches, lead, carbon monoxide gas, or medicines.
Seniors have done nothing to prepare their homes for aging 65% u. Gi mw mrhitirhirxp srih erh stivexih otes f do throw rugs create a tripping hazard. A simple fall can become a serious, disabling injury that limits independence. Home safety assessment for seniors complete the safety assessment below to see if the home in question is the right environment for your aging family member or friend there are so many considerations to make when setting up a safe, comfortable home for your parent, senioraged family member, or elderly friend.
The guide explains the importance of food safety for seniors, causes of foodborne illness, handling and cooking food safely, and symptoms of foodborne illness. Several factors contribute to the fact that seniors fall more frequently than younger people. In this guide, we cover everything from fall prevention and home security to avoiding phone and email scams. A home safety checklist to help you make your home safer for older adults. Food safety information united states department of agriculture food safety and inspection service older adults and food safety knowledge of safe food handling helps older adults stay healthy. This collaboration can take many forms, which are outlined in the fire safe seniors implementation guide. As you age, the spine begins to settle and the discs may get a little squished. Pdf the present study analyzed home safety and safe behaviors against fall accidents of elderly people living at home.
Physicians say that injuries are most likely to happen in these areas of the home. Keep emergency numbers in large print near each phone. The checklist asks about hazards found in each room of your home. The elderly are especially vulnerable to serious injuries from home accidents. How about light switches at the top and bottom of the stairs. Older adults and food safety food safety and inspection. There are certain precautions you can take that will help keep you safe. Fill unused outlets with plastic safety plugs if there are toddlers in the house. Aarp is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that empowers people to choose how they live as they age. With a growing number of older adults living independently, its increasingly important to make sure that theyre safe at home.
According to the american association of retired persons aarp, by the year 2020, the number of people in the united states aged 65 and older is expected to increase to 55 million. Because of this, it is important to recognize that one of the most common dangers seniors face is falling. Aug 24, 2016 14 simple safety tips for seniors who live alone for many seniors, living alone is ideal. The survey of er doctors, seniors and adult children reveals that home isnt always the safe haven that seniors and their loved ones dream about. Guide to senior safety at home national council for home. Handrails or a shower seat will provide support in potentially slippery environments. Safety home accidents are a major source of injuries and can even cause death. Please visit our page on a home safety checklist for seniors for additional information.
Make home safe are mom and dad really safe at home. P safety check centers for disease control and prevention. Older adults also are at greater risk than others of dying in a house fire. Recipients of this home safety check should always consult with their medical or other health care professionals for any medical diagnosis and treatment, as well. A way around this home safety hazard is to have mats or carpets in those areas, or to buy comfortable footwear that have slipproof soles. The safe living guidea guide to home safety for seniors. Place plexiglas or security film on the inside to increase safety and make it more difficult for the glass to be broken. In fact, research indicates that injuries and subsequent complications due to falls are the leading causes of. General safety standards 4 preventing falls 5 kitchen safety 6 stairway and hallway safety 8 living room safety 8 bathroom safety 9 bedroom safety 9 outdoor safety 11 pathway and garden safety 12 fire safety safe footwear 14 the material in this brochure is for informational purposes only. The program is intended to assist low and moderate income seniors who have difficulties with daily living activities by providing financial assistance to carry out minor modifications to help them stay in their home.
First, we asked if they have saved or spent any money on modifications e. Talk to them about any hindrances they have noticed in being able to effectively and safely provide for. The consumers guide to home safety for seniors firstlight home. For added safety, use groundfault circuit interrupter power strips cords that turn on and off instead of extension cords. Other safety tips keep emergency numbers in large print near each phone. If you think youre shorter than you used to be, you may be right. The vast majority of this age group, 87 percent, wishes to age in place, meaning they plan to stay in their own homes and communities as they grow older. Improving home safety for seniors windows are easily opened from the inside but have secure locks that can prevent someone from entering from the outside. Safety is a key factor in seniors maintaining an independent lifestyle. If you live in a house with a gate, always keep your gate locked. Within this age group, the rate of injury is the highest for people 75 years of age and older. A pdf guide from the food and drug administration about food safety and people over the age of 65.
Home sweet home, home is where the heart is there are manyvariations of these old sayings, but the meaning never changes. What are the most unsafe areas of the home for seniors. It is not intended to address every potential home safety issue present in the recipients home before, during or. Read home safety tips to learn how to make small changes for a healthy and independent life. You can add an escape route through portable ladders or chutes. Home safety checklist this home safety check is being provided solely for the purpose of raising the recipients awareness of any potential home safety issues. For questions about your benefits, aarp the magazine or the aarp bulletin, visit the aarp contact us page or call 1888ouraarp 18886872277. Some older adults are homebound and must rely on delivered food. Consumer product safety commission safety for older. Home safety checklist each home instead senior care jverglmwi sj.
Senior home safety aging in place age safe america. A home safety checklist, particularly, may be the ounce of prevention that will keep you or a senior loved one from needing that proverbial cure. The fire safe seniors tool kit is designed to help you effectively implement a smoke alarm installation and fire safety education program targeting older adults. I feel stronger and better about myself since i started walking every day. To maximize safety for seniors at home, we must ensure a long list of conditions are met in each room. Determining if your loved one is safe at home can be overwhelming and frustrating. In fact, statistics show that millions of adults over the age of 65 are treated in hospital emergency rooms for accidents that occurred in their own homes. Criminals intent on robbing peoples homes often see seniors as easy prey. While the centers for disease control and prevention cdc lists falls by those 65 and older the leading cause of injuryrelated death, there are plenty of steps around the house that can minimize the. Home safety tips every parent wants their children to grow up healthy and strong in the place where they deserve to feel safest. Home safety tips pdf download everything you need to know about home safety. Pdf home safe, safe bahaviors of elderly people, and fall. Visit home safety smart check for a variety of safety checklist for toddlers, adults.
Whether they want to continue driving, caring for themselves, or interacting with their friends and communities in the ways that they always have, living alone is. The 240point comprehensive home safety assessment is performed by a trained advisor and includes the exterior of the home, all entry areas, every room including bathrooms, bedrooms, laundry room, garage, basement, kitchen and dining room, lighting evaluation, fire safety and electrical safety. Bathroom safety tips for seniors falls can be devastating for the elderly because they often result in serious injury and recovery is usually very expensive. Seniors are hesitant to spend money on home safety we ran a survey of americans age 55 and older who plan to live the rest of their lives either in their own home or that of a relative. Falls are the main cause of injury, hospitalization and invalidity among canadian seniors. Specialized elder care products can help seniors extend their independence and improve their safety and comfort as their needs increase. In fact, research indicates that injuries and subsequent complications due to falls are the leading causes of death in seniors age 65 and older. Home safe home new york state department of health. It is not intended to address every potential home safety issue present in the recipients home before, during or after this home safety checks administration. When you hear a knock at the door, bring your phone with you in case you quickly need to call for help. For each hazard, the checklist tells you how to fix the problem. This revised edition of the safe living guide presents a stepbystep guide to making your home safer and reducing your risk of falls, injury and loss of independence.
See more ideas about home safety, elderly care and home safety tips. Here are some basic steps you can implement to reduce the chances of being victimized. Bathrooms and bedrooms lead the way, according to a survey of er doctors in the u. Accidental poisonings at home cause many hospital stays for all age groups. For many, including seniors, home is your sanctuary and, whetheryoure making dinner for friends or laying down for a nap, you deserveto feel safe and secure.
Consumer product safety commission cpsc estimates that on average 1. Fatalities and injuries can be avoided if you take the right steps in ensuring your loved ones safety. Home safety for seniors while there are roomspecific instructions for a few important areas in the average home, there are also general rules that can be applied throughout the entirety of the home. Many of these and other injuries result from hazards that are easy to overlook, but also. Older bones are often less dense, more brittle and break more easily. If you are a family care provider for elderly loved ones, you should spend some time observing their routines. Consumer product safety commission safety for older consumers. Senior home safety assessment extended family home care. Think about wearing an alarm device that will bring help in case you fall and cant get up. Providing buying advice on the things that matter most in life is serious business. For more resources for seniors, call 8332388856 or visit. Modifications must relate to the applicants loss of ability.
Jun 20, 2016 home safety for seniors while there are roomspecific instructions for a few important areas in the average home, there are also general rules that can be applied throughout the entirety of the home. Carbon monoxide detectors can warn you of a problem, but it is still. Home safety checklist for seniors household hazards. For seniors, however, the home is where many injuries occur, and most of. Roombyroom safety for the older adult top 10 elderly checklist. Maintaining independence is important to all adults, but as people age, living alone can become dangerous. In this guide, we cover everything from fall prevention and home security to avoiding phone and email scams and more so older adults can lead safer, healthier lives. Fire safety tips in this booklet will start with a picture like the one on the left. As you know, our physical capacity deteriorates as we.
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