Home Safety Tips for Seniors

If you have arrived at the point in life where you are referred to as a senior citizen, you should not take the phrase lightly. You may be living a very active life and feel younger than you actually are, but the fact remains that as your body ages accidents can be more traumatic for you than they would have been twenty years ago. It is important that you take precautions to prevent accidents around your home. The following tips can be helpful to you if you are a senior citizen. If you haven't reached that stage of life but have family or friends who have, you can share these tips with them and hopefully help them remain safe from injury.

To make your home less of an accident zone remove the small, decorative but dangerous throw rugs you have throughout your house. However,it is wise to place a rug at your door to reduce the chance of slipping on a wet floor when you enter the house on a rainy day. You need to choose a heavy rug that has a non-slip backing to place at your door.

Have someone assist you with removing items from cabinets or closet shelves that you can't reach without climbing up to. Put those items in plastic storage boxes that you can stack and store or put under the bed so that you can get to them without climbing and risking a fall.

An accident can not only be physically painful, it can also cause financial pain. Spending a small amount of money on accident prevention is a worthwhile expense. Installing grab bars in your shower and handrails at your steps is very smart. Place a non-slip mat in your tub or shower. If your budget allows, you might want to consider having your tub removed and a walk-in shower installed. They are extremely convenient and much easier to get in and out of than a tub. If you have a ramp at your house, it can be treacherous on a rainy, frosty, or icy day. Placing strips of non-slip tape on the ramp will make it safer.

Place nights lights throughout your house. Stumbling around in the dark might result in a fall.

Rather than climb on a chair or step stool to clean high places or items such as ceiling fans purchase a long handle duster so that you can stand on the floor and do the cleaning.

Keep the walkway from your door to your car clear of leaves that can be slippery when wet or can hide small rocks, sticks, acorns or other debris that might cause you to fall. Your walkway and carport should have some type of lighting. Motion sensor lights are an option for your garage or carport. Solar lights might provide sufficient lighting for your walkway but if not, you should invest in some type of light that will illuminate your pathway to the door.