If you’re looking to create a safe environment for elderly people to live, be it that you’re wanting to construct your own assisted living facility or are going to be having someone come and live with you in your own home, there are a few things that you can and should learn from other assisted living facilities in order to make sure that everyone has a safe place to live.
To help you see just what can be gleaned from here, here are three things to learn about housing for the elderly from visiting assisted living facilities.
Look Out For Fall Risks
As assisted living facilities, reducing the risks of anyone taking a fall on the property if of the utmost importance. Because of this, they will reduce the number of changes to the flooring, keep furniture sparse so it’s easy to move around things, and provide items that can help with balance. In a home or other type of living facility, you can do these things, too.
Along with this, another thing that greatly increases the risks of falling for elderly people is having a pet. Dogs or cats that can easily get underfoot can make it unsafe for elderly people to move around their own space. So while pets can have some great benefits for many elderly people when it comes to companionship, if you’re at all concerned about falls, you may want to consider if having a pet could be too dangerous.
Consider The Entry Ways
The entry ways of a home or elderly living facility also need to be looked at closely, just as they are in traditional assisted living facilities.
At nursing homes and assisted living facilities, entryways to the property and various rooms are large. This allows for people who are using walkers or wheelchairs to easily maneuver their way into the space. So if the doorways and entryways into your property aren’t as large as they should or could be, this is one chance that you should really look into making.
Making Bathrooms Safer
The bathroom can also be a place that has safety hazards for many elderly people. Knowing this, you should take some guidance from assisted living facilities to learn how to best keep bathrooms safe for your loved one.
As a good place to start, installing grab bars around the toilet area and in the bathing area can help ensure that your elderly loved one has something to hold onto when trying to get their body into a new position. This way, they won’t try to grab onto something that isn’t solid enough for them, which could wind up hurting them in the process.
If you’re wanting to learn more about safe housing for the elderly, consider using the tips learned from assisted living facilities that have been mentioned above.