PROPERTY & INTERIORS
if the prospect of these modifications is a little daunting for a homeowner, they and their healthcare workers can at least reduce the risk of accidents by ensuring there is little clutter in hallways and rooms – from too many bulky coats on a rack to cleaning materials leſt lying around on the floor.
Adjusting doorways, including front and back doors, so that they are level makes moving around houses much simpler, particularly if a resident needs to use a wheelchair. A ramp to a front door can cost as little as £30. More permanent alternatives include a short paving design. It is important to ensure, however, that where front or back entrances are made level, drainage just below ground level is needed to avoid any damp or flooding problems.
Installing a downstairs toilet, with washing facilities, is an excellent way of reducing the number of times a day someone with limited mobility needs to go up and down stairs. It also makes life easier for carers. Installing a bathroom sink you can fit a wheelchair under prevents people from taking unnecessary risks trying to reach or stand up while washing, even if supported by someone else. Grab rails and shower chairs in bathrooms are also useful safety features.
“Care workers can recommend many home and lifestyle modifications that make accidents less likely.”
Walk-in baths can be brilliant, though they may be pricey. Another fantastic, if relatively expensive, option for residents and those helping them to wash and dress is installing a wet room – or, at least, the drainage systems that would facilitate one at some point.
Stairs, which are oſten poorly lit and have hazards like loose carpets, account for more than 57,000 A&E visits a year by older adults. A homeliſt, such as those provided by Stiltz, may be a good solution here, allowing people to move between floors safely and quickly. Larger models can fit a wheelchair, too, despite having a footprint about the size of a cupboard.
Low-level kitchen appliances, including ovens and cupboards, along with rise-and-fall worktops, deep pan drawers and pull- down shelving, stop people from straining and overreaching the kitchen. Kitchen tools with ergonomic handles or non-slip grips help avoid spillages, burns and cuts.
Gadgets and entertainment tech, like Alexa or Sky Glass, can seem like a bit of a novelty. But if they close the curtains, turn on the TV, or adjust the lights by voice or remote control, they’ll save older people the risk and effort of having to get up and down and walk around furniture numerous times a day. Taking a few minutes to explain the benefits of such innovations to clients is an excellent use of a healthcare worker’s time that may save them from having to help them with basic tasks in the future.
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Working with clients to find the best and easiest bus or other public transport routes to shops or relatives should driving become a problem is a sensible idea. Suggest ways clients can expand their social circles, from nearby lunch clubs to virtual evening classes, too. This can help stave off isolation, with all the safety and emotional risks this can bring, should they be unable to carry on with more active hobbies and sports or go to visit friends.
Investigate the best safety advice organisations, such as the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, Age UK and healthcare employers, can provide and share these tips with clients. Provide links and information about financial assistance, including local-council help and the Disabled Facilities Grant that elderly residents may be entitled to.
https://www.rospa.com/policy/home-safety/advice
https://www.ageuk.org.uk/information-advice/care/housing-options/adapting-home/
https://www.ageuk.org.uk/information-advice/care/housing-options/adapting-home/disabled-facilities-grants-to-adapt-your-home/
Healthcare workers frequently have insights into people’s mobility needs and worries that few others share. They are in a trusted, close relationship that makes their input and concern invaluable for older people and may be the key factors that allow them to age in place safely and happily.
https://www.stiltz.co.uk
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