Making house safe for elderly parents

[Anonymous]

Anyone know a company in the DC area that will come out and review your home and make safety reccs, like grab bars, ramps, etc? Thanks

[Anonymous]

https://trubluehousecare.com/services/aging-in-place

[Anonymous]

Our experience is you can invest a fortune in this and whether it's realistic all depends on how your parent ages. The company will tell you they can make it so anyone can stay at home. The home care agencies tell you the same, but depending on how your parent ages it may be BS and things can fall apart very fast. Plus aging in place they can become more and more isolated which can lead to more behavioral issues. There may be that final fall or stroke where the person may be in residential.

Then even a year later, you have to re-do the house or sell for less because younger people don't want a house set up for an elderly person. It is rare to find that older family buying that is looking for all those changes.

[Anonymous]

^ agree

Some obvious things: No throw rugs, none. Railings at all the stairs. Someone to supervise bathing and later if needed, toileting. Like a newborn, eventually for the elderly, a daily full bathing is not likely a necessity. Sponge baths work.

Our experience is: usually what sends them into Assisted Living/or even more care needed than that, is their inability to take there medications correctly. Not suggesting what, but some system for this, would be extremely helpful.

[Anonymous]

Some other things we enjoy having in our home for safety fir us and functional all ages
_ Raised toilet seats

_ Double railing on all stairs

_ Grab bar in bath or shower works for anyone who might have a balance issue

_ Berber carpet on all stairs as reduces impact on knees or anyone taking g a tumble

_ We did request a bench seat in the master shower!

_ Hand held shower faucet to go with bench made sense

_ Appropriate night lights throughout house

_ **Key would be a Medic Alert device to alert folks if home alone and has a fall or medical emergency.

[Anonymous]

Thanks all. We are looking to prep our house for my parents, but they plan to move into independent living apt nearby. Until that happens, they need to be safe for visits. Thanks all!

[Anonymous]

Occupational therapists can do an assessment. Ask your parents' health-care provider for a recommendation , check with VNA, or check with the local senior center.

My (then 80s) mother had shoulder surgery and when she was sent home, an OC walked through the house and checked everything. As other posters' have said, it's about stair rails, no rugs, grab bars in the bath/shower, raised toilet seats, railings around toilets, bed railings, seat lifts, electric cords out of the way, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thanks all. We are looking to prep our house for my parents, but they plan to move into independent living apt nearby. Until that happens, they need to be safe for visits. Thanks all!

Honesty falls are the biggest safety factor. If they aren't steady on their feet, they will fall.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thanks all. We are looking to prep our house for my parents, but they plan to move into independent living apt nearby. Until that happens, they need to be safe for visits. Thanks all!

Honesty falls are the biggest safety factor. If they aren't steady on their feet, they will fall.

This. There are occupational therapists who work on fall prevention exercises. Something to consider if they are a fall risk. I assume they work on things like balance, ways to get out of a chair safely.