Home Safe Home
As your family members or loved ones age, so do their homes.
It is good practice to step back occasionally and examine the homes to
see how well the living arrangement supports your loved ones’ daily
needs and activities. There are many steps you can take to ensure that
your family members stay safe and comfortable in their homes. Often these
changes can be made with little or no cost, while they also make homes
more user-friendly and welcoming.
Nearly 90 percent of older Americans want to stay in their current homes
as they age. By taking small-but-practical steps, you can transform your
loved ones’ "home sweet home" into "home safe home."
No-Cost Changes
• Remove all scatter and throw rugs, which can lead to falls.
• Open blinds and curtains, and raise shades during daylight hours
to increase natural light inside the home.
• Place electrical, phone, and computer cords along walls where
they will not trip anyone. To avoid the risk of fire, do not run the wires
under carpeting.
• Remove clutter from the staircases and hallways to prevent trips
and falls.
• Set the hot-water heater to 120 degrees to prevent scalding and
to reduce energy consumption.
While all of the above can be done without spending money, you might find
some changes are hard for your loved one to accept. For instance, Mom
may like her scatter and throw rugs because they add color to her rooms.
It's important that you explain to her why you are suggesting removing
these trip hazards. Tell her you want her to consider the change because
you're worried about her falling and seriously hurting herself. Be creative
in how you approach the conversation—perhaps suggest that she could
move the rug from the floor to the wall or add throw pillows on a chair
or sofa to add color without safety risk!
Low-Cost Changes
As you make these no-cost changes, I suggest you look around your parents'
house to see whether or not you could take additional steps to ensure
the safest possible home. Here are some low-cost changes that run between
$35 and $75 and will make a home even safer:
• Increase lighting by using the highest-watt bulbs possible for
fixtures or lamps.
• Place double-sided tape or carpet mesh under area rugs to prevent
slipping.
• Install offset hinges on all doors to add 2 inches of width for
easier access.
• Replace traditional light switches with easy-to-use, rocker-style
switches.
• Install night-lights in hallways between bedrooms and bathrooms.
• Replace knobs on cabinets and drawers with easy-to-grip, D-shaped
handles.
• Add anti-slip strips in the bathtubs and showers.
• Mount grab-bars in the bathtubs, showers, and place a sturdy waterproof
seat in the shower so your loved one can sit down while bathing or showering.
• Install a handheld adjustable shower head for easier bathing.
• Install handrails on both sides of each stairway to support your
loved ones' sure footing.
You can find low-cost tools and products at your local hardware or home
improvement store. It's important that you or a contractor properly install
all the updates, so find a reputable handyman to help you if you need
assistance. It might be hard for your loved one to consider certain features,
such as the installation of grab-bars in the bathroom. "I don't want
those things," Mom might say. "It'll look like a hospital room."
This is the time to speak from your heart. Use "I" statements.
Tell her you worry about her and you want her to be safe in her home.
Add that grab-bars come in a range of colors and finishes that can match
the decorating scheme of any bathroom. Tell her the days of "institutional-looking
grab-bars" are long gone. Go with her to the store to look at what's
now on the market.
In addition to the changes listed above, always remember to have a properly rated fire extinguisher in the kitchen area, and fire and carbon monoxide detectors on all floors of each house.
Extensive Changes
Since your loved ones likely want to live at home as long as possible,
consider more extensive changes to the home so that it will be sure to
meet loved ones’ daily living needs. Design features such as multi-level
countertops and pull-out drawers in the kitchen provide easy access to
pots and pans. No-step entries to the home may cost more, but they can
make homes safer and more comfortable for everyone.
AARP and the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) have collaborated
to help develop a certification program for remodelers, builders, and
developers who focus on the connections between home design and the needs
of aging people. The Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist (CAPS) program
teaches building professionals about the changing needs of people as they
age. The curriculum also explores a range of products and building techniques
that can be employed to remodel a home better support aging in place.
There are currently more than 1,700 certified professionals in the United
States.
AARP and NAHB also sponsor an annual "Livable Communities Award,"
in which remodelers, builders, and developers are recognized for excellence
in a variety of categories. To see past winners, visit www.aarp.org/homedesign.
Growing Consumer Interest
Realtors, interior designers, and architects have discovered that consumers
are starting to show more interest in features and products that promote
successful aging in place. People are also realizing that when homes are
designed and constructed with these features, the homes’ value increases.
In Georgia, an "Easy Living Home" designation has been developed.
It focuses on three key features of home design; All new homes constructed
using the Easy Living Home approach have:
• Accommodations for first-floor living, with the master bedroom
and full bath on the first floor
• At least one no-step entrance to the central living area of the
home
• A maximum clearance (up to 36 inches across) in all doorways for
easy movement throughout the home.
The proponents of the livable approach contend that their homes are "easy
to build, easy to visit, and easy to sell." Across the country, builders,
developers, and realtors are replicating elements of what's called "universal
design"—basically, design informed by features that provide
comfort, safety, and the ability to age in place. There is also growing
consumer interest in aging in place and the type of home required for
it.
Home Safe Home
No home can be "sweet" if it isn't "safe." The types
of home features and fix-its described in this column make homes easier
to use, which increases the independence of residents and makes caregiving
easier. As I've described, there are a range of changes that families
can consider to keep loved ones safe and comfortable.
I hope that these ideas prompt you to evaluate your loved
ones’ homes and to make the kinds of changes that you deem necessary
and beneficial. And be sure to enter AARP's "Recession Remodel"
Room Makeover Contest in which we'll update one kitchen and one bathroom
for two winners. We will also implement some of the easier, less expensive
improvements, which can increase comfort and safety for everyone. Best
of luck.
By: Elinor Ginzler | Source: AARP.org | May 2009
Feel free to contact us at 1-800-515-5438 to hear more!
