Working Caregiver- Retirement Homes
The majority of seniors polled in recent industry surveys - typically 90 percent - say they want to stay at home.
Aging Parents Prefer Home
It's happening more than you know. That's because more seniors in Houston want to age at home. The majority of seniors polled in recent industry surveys - typically 90 percent - say they want to stay at home.
But in a 2007 AARP independent living study, two-thirds of Boomer women surveyed said they are concerned about their aging parents' being able to do that.
It's a legitimate fear. Many seniors and their families don't think about the fact that homes must adapt to the changing needs of seniors as they age-until an accident happens, that is.
And many will need help with their homes to stay there. We know that for a fact.
Our company, Home Instead Senior Care Houston, conducts home safety reviews before starting service in clients' homes. An individual reviewwill cover some 50 different items throughout a home including the entrance, living areas, kitchen, bedroom, bathroomand stairways. During these reviews, we've seen many potential pitfalls that run the gamut from lighting problems to trip-and- fall hazards.
Many home-safety improvements are simple and inexpensive, experts say. Convincing seniors to make them, on the other hand, is another story. Danise Levine, assistant director of the IDEA Center at the SUNY Buffalo School of Architecture, said that denial often comes into play with seniors.
We see a lot of seniors who don't want to admit they're getting older-so they don't want to make changes in their homes, Levine said. Secondly, consumer education is an issue. If older adults in Houston do need help, they often don't know where to go, or how much things cost.
For instance, if a senior has problems getting off the toilet, he could develop a potentially dangerous several-step process of using a window sill, shower curtain and towel bar to get up. However, a window sill and towel bar will eventually pull away and break, and a shower curtain will tear under the strain, creating the potential for an accident.
Unfortunately, many home makeover changes are responsive rather than proactive. Too often changes aren't made until someone has had a stroke or other type of condition that begins to impair mobility.
Another one of our expert sources, Peter Bell, President of the National Aging in Place Council, stressed the importance of identifying potential household safety pitfalls.
So, Let's go over some of those areas that you can look for in your senior's home.
This list includes suggestions from Home Instead Senior Care as well as advice from industry experts:
Examine dark pathways, corners and other areas where seniors regularly walk or read. Make sure all areas of the home have adequate lighting. Consider timed and motion-sensor lights outdoors for dangerous pathways. Inside, Ott-Lites provide a high-intensity beam for doing detail work. Make sure that hallways and stairs are properly lit.
Avoid monochromatic color schemes. Contrast can help seniors who have failing eyesight better navigate their homes. Large red and blue buttons over hot and cold water faucet controls will help prevent dangerous mistakes. A dark green or brown toilet seat will make that easier to see. Kitchen countertops should contrast with floors as well.
Look for ways to reorganize. Mom always put the black stew pot under the stove to keep the kids from breaking it. Perhaps now it belongs on a shelf beside the stove. And who says the eggs must go in the egg tray of the refrigerator? Perhaps it's easier for dad to handle them if they're stored in the meat tray. If that hallway table is becoming a dangerous obstacle, move it.
Look behind closed doors. Many seniors will close off parts of a house they no longer use. Be sure to check those areas regularly for mold or water damage. Don't close vents to crawl spaces.
Look for ways to simplify your senior's life. Talk to your parents about why and how they do things. Then look for ways to simplify their lives. If your Mom's immaculate floors are now regularly dirty, think about how she's been doing that job all these years and then offer her some options.
Rather than a heavy mop and bucket, investigate light-weight, all-in-one mops. If your senior is replacing appliances, look for smooth-top stoves and refrigerators with water and ice on the outside. Change door knobs to levers, or purchase grips that can go on conventional knobs. Convert single-bulb light fixtures to multiple bulbs so seniors still have light when one bulb burns out.
Consider security. Think about the potential dangers that lurk within your loved one's home. Lock-in switches on thermostats and stoves will keep seniors with dementia and Alzheimer's disease from harming themselves. Help them manage in their environment by installing a cordless intercom.
Keep an eye out for damage. Watch for signs that a senior is adapting his or her behavior to the environment. Look for towel bars or window sills that are pulling away, or for shower curtains that have torn from seniors grabbing onto them.
Look for ways to make entries safe. Make sure that railings into a home are in good repair, and that steps and sidewalks are not damaged. Or eliminate steps altogether. Make sure that doors into a home can be set to stay open for carrying items in and out. Install remote control locks.
Is clutter taking over? Messy conditions and broken items are important warning signs. Remove area rugs and stacks of newspapers and magazines, or other potential obstacles.
While many fixes are simple and inexpensive, others might involve a remodeling project to help a senior remain at home in Houston.
Brought to you by Home Instead Senior Care Houston.
