Stay comfortable in your own house

There is no greater comfort than being able to remain in your own home as you enter your golden years called aging-in-place, more and more seniors are deciding to forgo retirement communities and senior living homes in favor of staying put. However, with age comes challenges and houses may need to be modified to make them safe and comfortable for seniors. Here are a few simple yet, practical home modifications for aging-in-place.

Simple Ways to Help

One in four people over the age of 65 falls every year, and the majority of those falls occur within the home, according to the National Institute on Aging. Keeping the house, and especially the floors, free from clutter is important for creating a clear path throughout the home. It is recommended that seniors living at home do not use throw rugs since they are unsecured and can lead to increased fall risk.

Up to 50 percent of all falls among seniors can be attributed to environmental causes from slippery floors to poor lighting, according to the National Council for Aging Care. It is essential to make sure that all areas of the house are well lit, this includes having night lights installed in restrooms, kitchens and other rooms that may be visited at night.

High Rish Areas in Your House

Restrooms pose a risk for seniors as they are usually tiled, and the floors can be slippery. Especially when bathing, the right tools must be in place to keep seniors safe. Grab bars should be mounted in the bath and shower area and next to the toilet to provide balance help when moving from one part of the bathroom to the next. The floor of the bath and outside it should be outfitted with non-skid mats to provide foot traction to prevent slipping.

If the home has stairs, handrails should be installed on both sides of the stairs. Existing handrails should be checked for sturdiness, and seniors should always utilize them when going up or down the stairs.

Think About Outside Help

Finally, it is important for seniors living alone to have someone looking out for them. A daily check-in phone call from Iamfine can be the difference for a senior living alone. To read how Iamfine got one woman the help she needed after a fall, click here.

Aging-in-Place Home Improvements - A Room by Room Guide