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In-home care for seniors has grown increasingly popular in recent years. This is a good thing, as it allows an aging population to remain at home longer among family. However, there are some dangers associated with at-home care for seniors. If your home is not made safe for the seniors who reside there, then otherwise avoidable accidents may result. Here are some basic tips to ensure overall home safety for at-home seniors.

• Remove or secure all area rugs. If these are left to slip and slide around, they can be a trip hazard and result in slips and falls.
• Install sturdy rails for all of your home’s indoor and outdoor stairs. An able-bodied senior might be perfectly capable of climbing stairs, but it’s always a good idea to have a handrail for added support, or in the event of fatigue or dizziness.
• All staircase steps should have a non-slip surface to avoid possible falls.
• Use only non-glare light bulbs in 100 watts or higher. These should be incandescent bulbs or their fluorescent equivalents. Adequate lighting will ensure that your home is well illuminated to accommodate aging eyes or failing eyesight.
• Light switches should be placed at the entrance to every room as well as at the top and bottom of any staircases.
• Ensure that any spills or leaks are cleaned up promptly. Spills or wet, slippery areas can result in accidental falls.
• Consider getting your elderly loved one a medical alert or buddy system. This is particularly important if he or she is left home unattended at all throughout the day. Such a system can be a literal life saver in the event of a fall or other accident or medical incident.
• Ensure that your elderly loved one wears appropriate footwear at all times. Good fitting shoes with low heels should be worn at all times when he or she is walking about, even indoors.
• Leave lights on at night in the kitchen, bathrooms, hallways, and anywhere else your loved one might walk during the night. A simple night light in each room will suffice to illuminate your loved one’s surroundings, thereby preventing accidents.
• Use rails in the tub and shower and always ensure that tubs and showers are outfitted with non-skid bathmats. A tub with a built-in non-skid surface is idea.
• Use door locks that can be opened from both sides on all doors. This will enable you to reach your loved one in the event of an emergency even if the door has been locked.