When gran was living alone, also had signs of early onset dementia btw.
I looked into this & asked EMTs about common hazards they had experienced regarding common accidents seniors faced at home.
They were happy to help & share their experiences.
We decided to respect her wishes to be self sufficient for as long as she could.
It is not self inflicted by any means.
Mostly just not realising that things they have always done need more careful consideration with age or illness.
Family members should ideally be the ones to get a professional care worker to check for any hazards affect home safety & act.
The most common one I heard was carpets.
A senior may not realise they are shuffling not walking.
So tripping over carpet not properly tacked down or rugs & falling apparently common.
So is ensuring everything they need/regularly use is within easy reach.
Convincing them to get rid of things or asking for help getting to those reserved for special ocassions, like dinner sets, Xmas decorations etc.
Not easy.
Stretching out to get things or using a step ladder may cause loss of balance & again a fall.
We took away gran’s stepladder amidst a lot of grumbling & dirty looks.
Also had a chat with neighbours not to let her borrow one, she didn’t like this one bit.
Yet kindly neighbours regularly called on her to see how she was doing.
Gran loved these chats over a cup of tea.
Other things, include correct bed height, if they able to reach the floor properly & get out of bed safely.
As well as hand grips, especially in the bathroom.
Showers, not baths often recommended as well as a grip by the toilet.
Heating appliances that automatically turn off, night lights amongst many others.
So if you have an elderly relative please get professional advice & ensure all possible precautions are taken.
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