Friendly Home Modifications for Seniors Aging in Place featured image

Friendly Home Modifications for Seniors Aging in Place

Many older adults want to remain independent and in control of their lives for as long as they can. Some choose to live in their own homes instead of staying in a senior care facility. However, despite the benefits of living independently in their homes’ comforts, several seniors may find various activities, such as cooking, housekeeping, and personal care, difficult as they continue to age.

 

Families want their senior loved ones to get the best care they need as they grow older. Hence, they hire caregivers in Connecticut to ensure that their senior members get the care and help they need in doing everyday tasks while living independently in their homes.

 

Availing home care services can ensure that seniors can receive care and assure families that they are eating correctly and healthily. Some families choose to hire 24 Hour Caregivers in Old Lyme, CT, to guarantee that their senior loved one is provided with around-the-clock care.

 

Aside from considering employing services for senior care in CT to assure that their aging loved one is getting the physical, mental, and emotional assistance they need, families should also consider updating their homes to be senior-friendly.

 

A lot of the time, homes are built for young adults and their new families. And most homes are not updated to accommodate the needs of seniors. Many factors can make it difficult for seniors to navigate their houses. Aside from mobility challenges, there are also environmental hazards that can increase an older person’s chances to trip or fall. Hence, families need to update their homes to make them more senior-friendly and increase the convenience, security, safety, and mobility of older persons.

 

Families should consider addressing environmental hazards at home by removing items that clutter the floor and stairways, changing loose rugs, and tacking away electrical or extension cords over doorways or beneath floor coverings. Consequently, they should improve the brightness of lights or install sensitive lights in different home areas to prevent seniors from slipping.

 

Besides removing environmental hazards, family members should also consider updating the bathrooms, doorways, kitchens, stairways, and bedrooms to make these more accessible for seniors. It is ideal for families to install safety equipment, such as bed railings, a reacher or grabber tool, a bathtub or shower transfer bench, or grab bars in the bathroom.

 

Using assistive technology can also be beneficial in assisting seniors living independently in their homes. Installing medical alert systems can provide monitoring to at-risk elders and reach out to pre-set contacts and emergency services if a fall happens or the alarm button is pushed. Subsequently, families can invest in smart home devices, such as Amazon Echo and Google. These voice-controlled home devices can provide assistance seniors with reminders for medication and appointments, as well as calling their friends and family members.

 

Hiring a senior caregiver can provide older people with the assistance they need when doing everyday activities such as meal preparation, housekeeping, and laundry, which may become difficult tasks as people grow older. Accordingly, updating a home to make it senior-friendly by installing safety equipment and assistive technology improves seniors’ self-sufficiency and mobility. It assures families that their loved one is safe and secure in the comfort of their homes. This infographic from Euro-American Connections & Homecare lists some friendly home modifications for seniors aging in place.